If You Want Blood
by rampantwolfhound
Summary: When a zombie uprising interrupts Chu Qiao's quest for vengeance against the Yuwens, she has to reevaluate her priorities. Will she continue to pursue freedom in Yanbei or will she decide to weather this latest storm at Qing Shan Yuan? XingYue HEA. Rated M for z-poc/PA violence.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Guys, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Maybe someday, I'll finish "Awakening," but this obnoxious story idea wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it out. (Much like the "Pride and Prejudice" meets "The Haunting" fic I wrote last year; y'all should read it if you're into that sort of thing.) I never thought I'd write an M-rated story, but I'm just going to go ahead and rate this one M for violence right out of the gate. This is basically PA meets Walking Dead, so there's no way to do that without lots of violence. As always, I try not to be gratuitous, but there's just no real way to tell a compelling zombie tale without blood and gore. So if you don't want to read about zombie maids, zombie soldiers, zombie killings, zombie attacks, and, of course, the usual violent PA shenanigans, then you should probably just hit that little back button in your browser of choice. For the rest of you, as the title taken from the AC/DC song implies, if you want blood, you got it.

I know that y'all might not trust me to finish this one after not finishing "Awakening," but I've plotted this fic into a significantly tighter narrative than that fic. In fact, if there isn't much interest in this fic—and I could hardly blame you guys for not being interested in this one since I'm probably the only person in the world who is—I'll simply post the first arc, which I've already written in full.

Basically, the first arc of the story spans the entire night of Yuwen Xi's murder and its fallout, which also coincides with a zombie uprising in Wei. This part of the story—named "Death" to match the other two arcs, "Decay" and Destruction," respectively—is roughly 36,000 words and ends in a XingYue-friendly place. I've completely outlined the second arc, so writing that wouldn't be too difficult. The third part...well...that one's a bit more complicated because alllll of the players come into play, and y'all know how I struggle to coordinate too many moving parts. Anyway, I'm not one of those "give me X reviews or I'll hold the story hostage" jerks, but I'm also not going to bother to write the rest of this story if nobody's interested in reading it—especially since, as I said, this arc ends in a place favorable for XingYue and could be seen as a stand-alone novella.

As I said before, I'm modeling much of the zombie lore off of "The Walking Dead," so most of those rules apply. You'll notice I've made a few tweaks to the system, but they should be reasonably clear. If I take your knowledge of those rules for granted, feel free to ask questions. I don't want to say too much about this since I want you guys to learn about what's happening right along with the characters. You'll notice that I have my characters come up with different words for what they call "walkers" on the show and what we would call "zombies"; I just used words that made sense to me, although YMMV.

Speaking of using different words, my use of Chinese and English titles is, as always, inconsistent and based solely on personal preference. "Young Master Yue" is significantly more difficult to type than "Gong Zi," so we're using "Gong Zi" or "Yue Gong Zi." CQ calls YX "Shi Zi Din Xia," which I find more annoying than typing out "Your Highness." I'm not even sure what the shopkeeper's name is since I've seen several different versions, so I've used "Shopkeeper Zuo." I'll probably continue to abuse both the Chinese and the English languages in this fic, but I am, at least, an equal-opportunity abuser.

One final note. This chapter ends on a scene that's been sitting at the end of my "Awakening" outline for ages because I had no idea how to incorporate it into that story. Once I realized how well the concept fit with this story, I knew I had to write it. In other words, y'all can partially blame the existence of this fic on a random XingYue scene idea I came up with a year ago. I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

A stroke of Chu Qiao's borrowed blade severed the head of her hated enemy; she unceremoniously stuffed Yuwen Xi's head in a cloth bag as she figured it might come in handy later. Surely Yuwen Yue would approve; he had, after all, taught her to be resourceful.

Thoughts of the spymaster who had betrayed her so thoroughly rose up within her, but she strangled them. She needed to keep her wits about her, and she didn't want to think about the man who inspired such mixed feelings. A small part of her rebelled against framing Yuwen Yue for her own crimes, but the rest of her smothered those mental complaints with memories of the not-so-late Yuwen Zhuo's callous words that she'd overheard outside of the secret chamber.

As Chu Qiao prepared to leave this chamber of horrors, she looked around it one last time. The bodies of slave girls and guards were scattered around the room, presenting a grotesque contrast to the luxurious surroundings of _Ji Le Ge_. She spared a final thought for her avenged loved ones as she prepared to leave this place and to institute the next phase of her plan.

As if on cue, muffled feminine sobs and sounds of scurrying met her ears. She'd hoped that a servant girl would've conveniently managed to survive the carnage, and fortunately, one had. Chu Qiao strode towards the cowering girl, sword in one hand and bloody sack in the other. Her previously-prepared speech was on the tip of her tongue, but an odd groan from behind interrupted her.

Ignoring the quivering girl bowed before her, Chu Qiao turned around towards the sound. Her eyes widened as she saw a battered and broken feminine figure rise clumsily from its crumpled position. The kneeling servant girl started babbling with even more terror, but Chu Qiao stayed still and quiet. She had noted the figure's broken neck and oddly-bent arms before the body had started moving, so she was reasonably certain that the scantily-clad girl had, in fact, been dead before rising.

Chu Qiao instantly began evaluating the threat level of this new enemy—for enemy...she? It?...likely was. Part of Chu Qiao wanted to believe that she was seeing some sort of heavenly judgment against the Yuwen family, but she knew better than to assume that whatever had caused this girl to regain her life would benefit her. For that matter, she couldn't even assume that this single incidence of a dead girl coming back to life wouldn't be repeated in the future—or even on a much larger scale. She could almost hear Yuwen Yue lecturing her about not making assumptions or failing to see the bigger picture.

As the figure took its first ungainly stagger, Chu Qiao instinctively stepped backward. The dead girl's head canted towards her eerily, and a growl rattled from her throat. Other moans started sounding around the pleasure pools, but the corpse paid no attention to them. It started lurching towards her and the still-cowering servant girl, so Chu Qiao grabbed the blubbering woman by the arm and yanked her to her feet. Clearly, a change of plans was necessary.

"Tell them that Yuwen Xi killed the girls, and then the girls came back to life and killed Yuwen Xi and the guards. Don't even think about telling anyone I was here," she snarled at the hapless slave, who stared at her in uncomprehending terror. "Run!" she whispered fiercely to the girl, who finally obeyed her after stumbling backward.

Chu Qiao realized that much of her original plan was now obsolete; after all, if the dead were now coming back to life, then Yuwen Yue might be more useful to her alive than dead. Her decision to avoid implicating Yuwen Yue seemed quite sensible as even more bodies began to reanimate and return to a gross parody of life.

She couldn't worry about them yet, however, as the first girl staggered towards her. It snarled and reached for her, its teeth snapping as if it were an animal bent on biting her. Chu Qiao instinctively

dropped Yuwen Xi's head, drew the sword she'd taken from a guard, and ran the girl through. To her shock, the blade seemed to have no effect whatsoever. Chu Qiao pulled the blade out and stabbed her again, only to achieve the same result. Wrenching the sword from the dead girl's chest, she staggered backward in an attempt to gain some distance and time.

More groans and shuffling assaulted her ears, however, and she realized that a small army of walking corpses was shambling towards her. The original dead slave charged her again, so she sliced off its head, figuring that not even a whatever-that-thing-was could survive decapitation. To Chu Qiao's horror, the girl's corpse fell, but its head kept biting the air and snarling soundlessly. She noted that its eyes had started to film over with a white covering as if she'd grown old before her time.

"_Lao Tai Ye_! _Lao Tai Ye_!"

Many of the corpses' heads turned towards the new noise source and instantly started staggering towards the entrance to the main room. Chu Qiao was, of course, in favor of this development—especially if Zhu Shun and his lackeys got to meet this macabre group in full. She instinctively knew to stay still, and she did so, holding her sword impassively at her side as the corpses shuffled away.

Chu Qiao's typical luck held, however, and one of the bodies lunged for her, causing her to jerk away from it. The movement distracted several more corpses and caused them to charge her much as the first had done. Chu Qiao was thankful that the rest of the dead people were lurching towards the yelling idiot that was fast approaching, but she knew that staying here any longer would be hazardous to her health.

She jumped in the air and lopped off all three heads of her pursuers, making sure to avoid their mouths as the heads bounced around on the floor. Grabbing the bag with Yuwen Xi's head in it, Chu Qiao sprinted for the back exit of _Ji Le Ge_, effortlessly dodging the various traps in the halls. Shrieks of terror from Zhu Shun and his people were satisfying, and their intensity told Chu Qiao that she didn't need to set up a trap of her own using the severed head. Perhaps she could find a use for it later.

As if it had become aware of Chu Qiao's thoughts, the head began to snap inside of its bag, almost causing her to drop it. She turned the mouth outward, not wanting to take the chance that it would manage to bite her through the fabric. The full realization of just what the bag held finally penetrated Chu Qiao's mind, and she was forced to accept that more than her plans had changed.

_What's going on? s_he asked herself as she dashed through the maze of the back part of _Ji Le Ge_. _How could the dead come back to life and actually be able to move and fight on their own? I've seen traps set with corpses that seemed life-like, but all they could do was shoot poison darts or look scary. Even they could be killed in the usual ways, though. I wonder if Yuwen Yue…_

Chu Qiao attempted to free her mind from thoughts of that exasperating man, but she was unsuccessful. Try as she might, she couldn't shake the feeling that what was going on at _Hong Shan Yuan_ was too important for her to hide. The anger she felt for Yuwen Yue still rose up within her as part of her tried to convince herself to hold onto some of her original plan.

_If I want to, I can take an even better vengeance on Yuwen Yue, _she thought as she laid her hand flat on the door and triggered its opening mechanism. _When he and the Yue guards make their way to _Hong Shan Yuan_, they'll discover those...things waiting for them. Would it not be ironic for Yuwen Yue to fall victim to Yuwen Xi's latest murder victims and guards?_

Nobody made any effort to stop Chu Qiao as she silently ran through the maze of corridors that led to the tower on which she was supposed to wait for Shopkeeper Zuo. Either they didn't see her or they were smart enough to stay indoors given the screams and shrieks that could be heard coming from _Ji Le Ge_. She tried to focus on her surroundings, but her mind kept filling with images of Yuwen Yue, Yue Qi, and the other Yue guards being savaged by those deadly corpses.

_Would that not be a fitting end for him? __s_he mentally snarled. _Let him learn what being a spy of sacrifice feels like._

As she ran up the stairs leading to the top of the tower, however, she was forced to admit that she didn't want to envision Yuwen Yue and his men meeting such a grisly end.

_And there are also the innocent to consider. After all, if those things kill all of Zhu Shun's men, then they'll tear apart the slaves of _Hong Shan Yuan_. Some might even escape from here and kill the slaves of _Qing Shan Yuan_. While I wouldn't object to that fate befalling some of Jin Zhu's friends, the others don't deserve such horrible deaths. Isn't Yuwen Yue's probable ability to kill these things the main reason I refrained from implicating him in Yuwen Xi's death? _

Chu Qiao tried to convince herself that she was worried primarily about the innocent, but she only halfway succeeded. In spite of how grievously Yuwen Yue had wounded her, she still didn't want him to be torn apart by inexplicably-living corpses. She realized, of course, that the plan she'd set in motion might ultimately have resulted in Yuwen Yue's death had he been convicted of Yuwen Xi's murder, but he would not have died at her hand or in her presence.

_Besides, what's happening here may be bigger than this single incident, _she reminded herself as she waited for her shopkeeper friend to arrive. _If this is simply a one-time incident—a judgment from the Heavens on _Hong Shan Yuan_ or maybe even all of _Wei_—then I need to collect my sisters from _Chang'an_ as soon as possible and ride for _Yanbei_. If, however, the dead are coming back to life everywhere…_

The relief that Chu Qiao felt as she saw a dark speck in the night sky grow into the form of Shopkeeper Zuo was immense. He yelled out to her that he'd kept his part of the bargain, so she decided to repay the favor by shouting a concise version of recent events to him, carefully showing him Yuwen Xi's obviously-moving head to prove her story. Her shopkeeper friend almost crashed into the tower due to shock, but he managed to avoid such a fate as he swiftly flew out of sight.

_If he can reach his catacombs safely, he could hide out indefinitely, _she thought wistfully as she wished for such a haven for herself and her sisters. She quickly pulled on and secured the black wings and dagger her shopkeeper friend had secreted in the wooden box he'd tossed her. Wishful thinking of any kind would only slow her down and keep her from accomplishing her goals.

As Chu Qiao drew the sword Shopkeeper Zuo had given her, she acknowledged that, feelings for Yuwen Yue and his people aside, her primary obligation was to her sisters. She had no idea whether or not they were safe, so she had to take care of them before she could contemplate doing anything else. Since she hadn't implicated Yuwen Yue in the killing of Yuwen Xi and everyone who knew of her involvement outside of the servant girl was dead, she figured the spymaster would be able to talk himself out of danger.

_I think I managed to terrify that girl sufficiently for her to think twice about implicating me,_ she mused as she slashed the sword several times through the air in order to get used to its heft. _Even if she does say anything—assuming she survives the attacks of the corpses—she'll have no proof. I can dispose of Yuwen Xi's head, rescue my sisters, figure out if those corpses are anywhere else, and then ride for _Yanbei_ before anyone's the wiser. Yuwen Yue will surely be able to escape punishment due to his usual lies, half-truths, and evasions and will thus be able to protect the innocent from harm. I owe him nothing. _

Having decided on a logical course of action, Chu Qiao carefully returned Yuwen Xi's head to the bag and prepared to sheath her sword. An incoming whooshing sound was the only warning she got of someone's approach to the tower roof. She initially wondered if the shopkeeper wanted to ask her more questions about her recent experiences, but she easily identified the all-too-familiar figure as it landed in front of her with impeccable grace and precision.

Chu Qiao instinctively had her sword at Yuwen Yue's throat before she consciously knew what she was doing. The anger that she'd been able to bank surged through her as the pain of his betrayal played through her mind again. His evident confusion at her actions only served to knock her feelings even more off-center. Her own uncertainty about everything from her recent experience in _Ji Le Ge_ to the validity of her future plans upset her all the more, fueling her anger and desperation.

"What are you doing, Xing'er?" he finally asked as he stared down the tip of her sword.

"Can't you tell?" she asked sarcastically as she raised the bloody bag in her hand. "I killed Yuwen Xi, and now I'm running away."

His eyes widened slightly as he noticed that the bag was moving on its own.

"What did you do to him?"

"What does it look like? Do I really have to instruct you on the finer points of decapitation?"

"Why is the head moving?" he asked evenly, frustrating her by ignoring her baiting.

"I suppose we probably should discuss that, _Gong Zi_," Chu Qiao said blandly. "However, there are a few things I'd like to talk about first."

"This is a nice place to talk, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said as if they were spending a quiet evening at Qing Shan Yuan. "Since nothing important is happening, we can relax and have a nice chat."

"You don't seem particularly upset about Yuwen Xi's death," she said, doing her best to keep a level head. "Of course, since you and Yuwen Zhuo were planning on using me to kill him before turning me into a spy of sacrifice, I suppose you wouldn't feel the need to mourn his passing around me."

His eyes widened slightly again and his mouth pursed; Xinger counted this expression of emotion as a small victory.

"How did you-?"

"Does it really matter? I learned all about your motivations and feelings, and I acted accordingly. You have taught me much, _Gong Zi_, so consider the death of Yuwen Xi to be a repayment for your generosity."

"So you think I should be grateful for what you've done?"

"There's no need, _Gong Zi_. After all, he murdered my sister, so I had to get revenge for her. And Linxi. You remember Linxi, don't you? I know how forgetful you great men can be when it comes to your slaves, so I'll remind you. He was the loyal servant you framed for Yuwen Zhuo's supposed death, burned on the fake pyre, and then lied about to everyone."

"So this is who you really are."

"How typical of you to insult me and try to change the subject when you're uncomfortable with the truth."

"How typical of you to blame me for your impulsiveness, irrationality, and inability to see the big picture."

"Seeing the big picture is only possible when one has all the necessary information, which rarely happens when one is dealing with liars."

"You, of course, have been honest and straightforward with me from the beginning, Xing'er."

"I did what was necessary to survive in the environment in which I was forced to live."

"I've been doing the same thing all my life."

"Now that, I can believe."

Growls and screams sounded in the near distance, causing both of them to look in the direction of the noises.

"This is getting us nowhere, Xing'er. You can complain about my various flaws later once we fix this latest problem and go home."

"As usual, you haven't been listening to me, _Gong Zi__. Hong Shan Yuan_ is not my problem, and I have more important things to worry about."

"Like your sisters."

Chu Qiao's eyes blazed at the bland yet threatening tone of Yuwen Yue's voice.

"I need to make sure that my sisters are safe. They're my top priority."

"And where are your sisters? Safe at home?"

"They're safe for the moment, but if any of those walking corpses escape..."

"If they're safe at home, Xing'er, then surely the most effective means of protecting them is to ensure that none of the dead escape from _Hong Shan Yuan_."

"Yue _Gong Zi_ is such a skilled fighter; surely he doesn't need someone as insignificant as Xing'er to help him."

Chu Qiao gave her master her best wide-eyed, innocent stare, almost feeling ashamed of the satisfaction she derived from his obvious frustration.

"I need your help down there as much as you might need my help getting your sisters out of _Chang'an_ if those things are in the city."

Her expression changed in an instant and she cursed herself for being unable to hide the truth from her master. How did he always manage to get under her skin?

Growls and the sound of fighting rang out again, this time closer to the tower.

"This is what we're going to do, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said in that quiet way of his that made disobedience almost impossible. "We're going to go down there and kill those things. Our story is going to be that a couple of bloody, torn guards from _Hong Shan Yuan_ reached the gates of _Qing Shan Yuan_ and begged for our help. They told us that corpses possessed by vengeful spirits were wreaking havoc inside and that many had already been killed, including Yuwen Xi."

"I take it that part's true."

"Yes. Those men were covered in bite marks and had lost a lot of blood. I doubt they'll live long. Of course, we had to go help, so we devised a plan. You and I flew into _Hong Shan Yuan_ in order to assess things from above and to choose our entrance point. We both dressed in black for obvious reasons. The sword you're carrying is a temporary replacement because you damaged _Can Hong Jian_ in training and I'm repairing it for you. We have the severed head of Yuwen Xi because we rescued it from one of those corpses and kept it for burial. Did you leave any witnesses behind?"

The sudden question snapped Chu Qiao out of the funk she'd fallen into as Yuwen Yue had begun crafting a lie on the fly. She almost glibly complimented him on his ability to carry out the proud Yuwen family tradition of lying, but she knew they had more important things to do.

"A servant girl survived, but when the dead girls began to rise, I told her to tell everyone else that the corpses had killed Yuwen Xi and the guards. I also threatened her not to tell anyone I was there."

"I'm surprised you didn't throw her at the bodies and run away as they killed her."

"Why? Is that what you would've done, _Gong Zi_?"

"I would've put down all of the dead before they left _Ji Le Ge_ so that their evil couldn't spread any further."

"I was a bit preoccupied at the time."

"I'm sure you were, Xing'er."

"Sorry to disappoint Yue _Gong Zi_, but your servant Xing'er must leave first. I still have to keep my sisters safe. I wish you well."

"I wish you well, too, Xing'er—especially if the dead are also coming back to life in _Chang'an_."

Chu Qiao froze as her eyes widened again.

"What do you know? What have you heard? Has anyone from the city-?"

"I've heard things," Yuwen Yue said calmly. "Reports that Yue Qi and I didn't fully believe at first. Reports of a strange illness that always kills. Reports of dead people returning to life and killing. Reports of those the dead attack also dying and coming back to life. I haven't yet heard of these things happening in _Chang'an_, but they are happening elsewhere—and now here."

"Oh."

"As eloquently-said as ever, Xing'er."

He ignored her glare as usual and blithely carried on.

"You will kill the corpses with me and my men. You will help me to secure _Qing Shan Yuan_. We will go to _Chang'an_ together and retrieve your sisters."

"And then we'll live happily ever after together forever?"

Chu Qiao's sharp sarcasm fell away as her master gazed at her with a particularly potent expression. For a moment, the darkness and the screams fell away and she was back at _Qing Shan Yuan_'s practice fields with her master wrapped around her. His arms were holding hers up as she held out the crossbow and his lips were ever so close to her face and his breath whispered gently across her cheek…

"And then we'll return to _Qing Shan Yuan_, fortify it further, and do our best to survive this latest challenge."

Chu Qiao tried to hold onto her anger, but she knew that Yuwen Yue was, once again, right about the big picture.

"And then you'll give me some honest answers to some hard questions."

"If you'll do the same for me."

"Would I lie to you, _Gong Zi_?"

"No more than I would lie to you, Xing'er."

"At least I know I won't have to tell you the truth, then."

"When have you ever told me the truth?"

"Well, I did tell you the truth about Yuwen Xi's death."

"We were going to talk about Yuwen Xi, weren't we?"

"You seem to have grown forgetful. Perhaps you've been overcome with grief."

"I've been overcome with a desire for us to go down there and kill those things for awhile now."

"You could've left at any time, and yet you stayed up here wasting time with me while people died down there. Why did you do that, _Gong Zi_?"

The expression on Yuwen Yue's face was impossible for Chu Qiao to decipher. It was similar to the face he'd made after she'd sarcastically joked about their being together forever, yet it was filled with more complex nuances than she could identify.

"I wanted to debrief you about what happened with the slave girls and guards at _Ji Le Ge_, of course. I also wanted to convince you to stay and defend _Qing Shan Yuan_ from both the living and the dead in the near future. I've wasted too much time and effort training you for you to leave me and end up dead."

Yuwen Yue paused and his eyes softened with the slightest bit of humor.

"I also wanted to retrieve Yuwen Xi's head—although I do believe that this burial will feature another closed casket."

"You should probably burn all the bodies, Yue _Gong Zi_. After all, we don't want this evil to spread to anyone else."

"We also don't want to leave any evidence behind of what some of those men actually died of."

"I defer to your experience of disposing of inconvenient bodies that could implicate you."

"Not that you would know anything about that, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said calmly as he held out his hand and gestured towards the wriggling bag in her hand.

Chu Qiao handed over the bag and looked up at her master in puzzlement as he gingerly opened it and set her hated enemy's snarling head on the floor. He stared at it for a few moments before unsheathing _Po Yue Jian_ and stabbing one of its eyes. The head immediately stopped moving, and Yuwen Yue gave a curt nod.

"So those guards were right," he murmured. "Stabbing them in the eye stops them."

"So does decapitation."

"Much to your delight, I'm sure."

"Would you believe me if I told you that I decapitated Yuwen Xi because I didn't want him to turn into an even bigger monster than he already was?"

"No."

"What's wrong, Yue _Gong Zi_? Don't you trust Xing'er?"

That odd potency rose between them again, but it was quickly dispelled by the nearby sounds of the Yue guards engaging the corpses. Without hesitation, the two of them unfurled their wings and jumped off the edge of the tower, landing in tandem a few feet away from the battle. As she so often did, Chu Qiao bottled up all unwanted feelings and concentrated on the fight at hand.

* * *

Rekilling the attacking corpses was not particularly difficult. After all, Yuwen Yue was used to fighting opponents who were fast, flexible, and nimble. While these corpses could sometimes move more quickly than one would expect, they were nowhere near as fast as a rival spy or assassin. The real danger these dead bodies posed was their power in numbers.

To Yuwen Yue's dismay, there seemed to be more corpses than he'd expected. He knew Yuwen Xi's perversions well, and he knew how many guards _Ji Le Ge_ had. Even accounting for a few extra men responding to the sounds of their comrades dying inside of _Ji Le Ge_, this many men should not have been killed in his so-called grandfather's lair.

In fact, Yuwen Yue even noticed a few iron bells and stable boys among the walking corpses. His heart sank as he realized that another aspect of the strange reports he'd been receiving from his spy network had been proven accurate. Apparently, people these reanimated corpses bit or killed soon came back to life themselves. He was thankful that he'd assigned several Yue guards to keep those _Hong Shan Yuan_ guards company back home. When they died, he was certain that they'd also turn into these creatures.

One of the corpses stumbled over a body on the ground and sprawled at Yuwen Yue's feet, its features almost indistinguishable in the darkness. He stabbed it through an eye as it looked up at him, its snarl fading away to a whispery rasp. A former guard was swiftly decapitated; Xing'er stabbed its earhole to keep the head from biting anyone unawares.

Part of Yuwen Yue felt a brief stab of guilt as he watched Xing'er put down a young slave girl, her iron bell garb telling Yuwen Yue that she had likely not been part of Yuwen Xi's killing spree. After all, had he not wasted time trying to convince Xing'er to stay, he might have been able to keep the corpses contained to the area near _Ji Le Ge_. The moment of guilt quickly passed, however, as he contemplated a life without Xing'er in it. While he valued the innocent and did his best to protect them, he had to admit that nothing or no one was more important to him than Xing'er.

This thought unsettled Yuwen Yue, yet he could not deny its veracity. Had he not lied to his grandfather on Xing'er's behalf? Had he not done his best to cover up Xing'er's various indiscretions? Was he not already in the process of covering up her murder of Yuwen Xi and his guards?

While Xing'er had not officially told him the story of what happened in _Ji Le Ge_, he knew enough of her mind to piece the truth together. He also suspected that Xing'er had probably planned to implicate him in Yuwen Xi's death, but the rising of the dead had likely made her quest for vengeance seem less important than survival.

A coldness formed in his chest as he contemplated the reality that, had the events of tonight unfolded differently, Xing'er could very well have been on her way to who-knew-where by now. Yuwen Yue's harsh realism forced himself to acknowledge that he knew exactly where Xing'er would've been heading—and with whom. Yan Xun had not been particularly subtle about his feelings or his intentions in regards to Xing'er.

As if Yuwen Yue's thoughts had summoned the ever-cheerful prince, the grinning figure was suddenly beside him. Yan Xun neatly stabbed a walking corpse through the eye, evading its clawing grasp. While the young man's presence confused him, Yuwen Yue kept his features as impassive as ever.

"Greetings, Your Highness," Yuwen Yue said casually. "I apologize for not being able to welcome you formally, but as you can see..."

"Yes, I can tell that you have some...domestic matters to settle."

Yan Xun briefly flashed a grin at Xing'er, setting Yuwen Yue's teeth on edge. He thought darkly that he didn't need his spymaster training to figure out one possible motivation for Yan Xun's presence at this hour. Perhaps the prince had expected Xing'er to be soaring high above _Hong Shan Yuan's_ entrance now, ready to fly into his waiting arms.

"Multiple domestic matters have recently come up, but I'm confident that I'll be able to resolve them all to my satisfaction."

"I'm glad to hear it, Yuwen Yue," Yan Xun said with a smirk. "Domestic troubles can take a man by surprise if he doesn't pay attention to the obvious."

"So I've been trying to tell you for months, Your Highness," Yuwen Yue said drolly. "Had you listened to me-"

"Then I wouldn't be having such a great time in such excellent company," Yan Xun said glibly as he dispatched another guard.

Before Yuwen Yue could retort, a slim yet surprisingly strong slave girl grabbed hold of one of his tucked wings and tugged him towards her with a growl. He scowled as he stepped backwards and pulled the girl with him, bringing her easily in line with Xing'er's blade. She rekilled the girl with precision before moving onto the next target. Yuwen Yue couldn't help but relish how smoothly the two of them worked together.

"Ah, Yuwen Yue, your means of escape almost proved to be your undoing," Yan Xun said with a grin. "It seems that death can both help and hurt one's chances of escape. Isn't that right, Xing'er?"

"Ah?" Xing'er asked in confusion as she speared another corpse through its eye.

Yuwen Yue understood Yan Xun's question even if Xing'er did not. His desire for the prince to leave _Wei_ intensified.

"While death can be an escape of its own, these dead ones are greatly interfering with the plans of the living, wouldn't you say?"

Xing'er took down the last dead guard that they could see, clearly stalling for time.

"I can think of many more enjoyable activities I'd rather be doing tonight, Your Highness," Xing'er finally said.

"So can I, Xing'er," Yan Xun replied with a suggestive gleam in his eyes. "Most of them involve you, in fact."

Xing'er eyed Yan Xun uneasily for a moment before sheathing _Can Hong Jian_ more forcefully than necessary. She seemed uneasy with Yan Xun's innuendos, but Yuwen Yue was unsure whether his allusions to romance or escape made her more uncomfortable.

"As long as our next move involves leaving _Hong Shan Yuan_, I don't care what it is, Your Highness."

Yan Xun laughed deeply, the sound seeming out of place in the torch-lit darkness of what had become a killing field. Groans and shuffling sounded in the near distance, and the prince's laughter ceased immediately. He still managed to recover his good humor well enough to deliver what Yuwen Yue would ensure was his final rejoinder.

"Once we leave here, Xing'er, we won't have to worry about _Hong Shan Yuan_—or anywhere else in _Wei_, for that matter. In fact-"

"The quickest way to leave here is to put down those other corpses," Yuwen Yue said curtly, finally tiring of his friend's antics. "Of course, Your Highness is free to leave now with my thanks. I'm certain that you have more important tasks to attend to."

"Nothing is more important to me than the safety of my friends," Yan Xun said with irritating sincerity.

"Apparently you sensed that we were in danger all the way from _Chang'an_. How did you come to be here at this hour, Your Highness?"

"The night was so nice that I couldn't resist the temptation to go for a late-night ride—and where better to ride towards than the home of my closest friend?"

"How were things in _Chang'an_ when you left, Your Highness?" Xing'er asked with feigned disinterest.

Yan Xun blinked.

"Quiet, I suppose. Nothing unusual was going on—at least, not yet."

"So anyone who happened to be in _Chang'an_ tonight would be safe?"

"As safe as anyone can ever be in_ Chang'an_."

"So your sisters are fine, and no corpses are walking around the city. Let's focus on the task at hand."

Silence reigned supreme behind Yuwen Yue in the wake of his uncharacteristic outburst as he strode quickly towards the groaning sound coming from the area where the maids usually slept. A small part of the spymaster wished to protect Xing'er from the carnage that was sure to be within, but he ruthlessly pushed such thoughts aside. If they were going to survive together in this world, then they were all going to have to get used to such sights.

In spite of his tough inward thoughts, Yuwen Yue still mentally flinched at the state of what looked like at least half of the maids of _Hong Shan Yuan_—or what was left of them. A few of the guards were chewing on some of the remains, and the rest of the bodies looked worse than those of the maids killed by wolves that day on the hunting grounds. Most of the maids in the room were too far gone to come back to life, but a few began to stir, prompting Yuwen Yue to action.

He efficiently stabbed the closest guard in the eye as it looked up at his movement farther into the room. Xing'er and Yan Xun followed him into the small area and put down the other two guards. While Xing'er's face was solemn as she helped deal with the stirring maids, she did not seem to be particularly distressed. Perhaps she had seen so much death—especially of maids—that she had gotten used to such carnage.

_Or maybe she's simply good at locking away those paralyzing feelings and keeping them all inside—__until they explode in destructive fashion, __of course__._

Yuwen Yue mentally scowled as he thought about how skilled Xing'er was at causing destruction. Even part of this current situation could be laid at her feet, although Yuwen Yue had to admit that this could've happened regardless of Xing'er's actions since Yuwen Xi was responsible for killing the slave girls in the first place. He also acknowledged that people were right to call him cold, because he was willing to sacrifice any number of people in order to keep Xing'er at his side where she belonged.

"Help! Help! Help!"

The spymaster grew even colder inside as the familiar voice of his _Cangwu_ parrot rang out in the near distance. As much as he wanted to believe that the bird was being overly dramatic, he knew the truth: the dead were walking in _Qing Shan Yuan_, and he had no choice but to seal up _Hong Shan Yuan_ and hope for the best.

* * *

As much as Chu Qiao wanted to race to _Chang'an_, grab her sisters, and hole up somewhere safe, she knew that she'd never be able to turn her back on innocents who needed her to protect them from imminent danger. Yuwen Yue and his grandfather were far from innocent, but the slave girls, stable boys, and even the house guards had rarely done her wrong. Helping to rescue _Qing Shan Yuan_ from the dead was simply the right thing to do, so she was going to do it.

She looked over at her master, and their eyes met for a moment. Chu Qiao was forced to acknowledge that, as angry as she was at Yuwen Yue, she couldn't bring herself to allow his home to be destroyed by those corpses. A small part of her had begun to think of _Qing Shan Yuan_ as home, and the prospect of its destruction no longer brought her pleasure. She also realized that Yuwen Yue might keep his promise to help her retrieve her sisters from _Chang'an_, which would be immensely helpful if those corpses got into the city.

The voices of the Yue guards rang out around _Hong Shan Yuan_ as they instructed any remaining survivors to stay inside, to only open the door to people who could identify themselves verbally, and other bits of advice that she tuned out. Yuwen Yue was still looking at her, and she suddenly realized what he was planning to do.

As one, they bolted for the same tower they'd vacated a short while ago. They sped to the top before launching themselves over the side in the direction of the entrance to _Qing Shan Yuan_. After all, time was of the essence, and merely running could cost the lives of some of his people.

Chu Qiao squawked in panic as her wings lurched on her back, fighting every attempt to control them. She cursed as she realized that one of her wings had become damaged in the battle.

"X'er!" Yuwen Yue shouted in a tone Chu Qiao had never heard him use.

She looked at him in surprise, noting that he'd lost a bit of his composure for once. He actually seemed somewhat alarmed at the prospect of her falling to her death.

"Grab onto me, X'er! I can fly us both to safety!"

"What do you want me to do? Land on your back so we'll both crash?"

"Of course not, Xing'er. I want you to swoop under me and grab onto me from the front."

"Ah?!"

How could he say such a thing so calmly? The execution of such a move would be immensely difficult, and her desire to be pressed up against Yuwen Yue in such a fashion was, of course, nonexistent.

"Stop wasting time, X'er! Now is not the time for your stubbornness!"

"_My_ stubbornness? That's funny coming from you. What about my wings? Won't they get in the way?"

The ties holding the wings to her robes loosened and released, making her question moot and taking away all other options. Chu Qiao released the broken wings, angled her body just right, and wrapped her arms and legs around Yuwen Yue's body with a few quick, graceful motions. Her heartbeat sped up as Yuwen Yue dipped precariously, but he quickly evened out their flight path as he adjusted for her weight.

"I'm glad you managed to narrowly avert disaster again, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said with an infuriating smirk. "Had you waited any longer, you would've been too late."

"Xing'er thanks _Gong Zi_ with her whole heart," Chu Qiao replied with false sincerity, trying to ignore the feelings her current position was causing and tucking her head against his chest.

In spite of her mind's assertions to the contrary, Chu Qiao's body was definitely enjoying its current position. Her logical side argued that their present situation was no different from any of the other numerous times she'd been physically close to Yuwen Yue during training, but her emotions both agreed and disagreed with that assessment.

_This is hardly the first time I've been in Yuwen Yue's arms—or enjoyed being in his arms,_ she admitted to herself._ But this is also different because this isn't training; this is real. This is a mission, and I'm playing an __important__ part._

She realized the truth of both aspects of her thought as she noticed that her body was automatically making numerous necessary movements to maintain her and the master's precarious balance. The sheer power she felt in Yuwen Yue's wiry frame as he controlled his wings was staggering and intoxicating. His obvious trust in her ability to cling to him and help steer them also sent bolts of pleasure through her.

Her legs were firmly wrapped around his waist and her arms were clamped around his back; she tightened her grip in what she tried to convince her logical side was simply an attempt to strengthen her position. She was careful to avoid accidentally loosening the ties securing his wings since she didn't think she could handle the irony of sending herself and Yuwen Yue plunging to their deaths due to her attempts to hold him tighter.

Since Chu Qiao's face was still pressed firmly into Yuwen Yue's chest, all of her senses were filled with nothing but the master and the roar of the air rushing past her ears as they continued their gradual descent. The foul stench of battle gore failed to overpower that unique scent that defined the master and filled Chu Qiao with a feeling of security despite the protestations of her rational mind. His torso was firm and real and solid, and the beat of his heart was as even as the rushing of the breath in and out of his lungs.

A sudden impulse seized her, and she couldn't prevent herself from cautiously pulling her head back from Yuwen Yue's chest and looking up at him. Their eyes connected, and the undeniable intensity in his gaze indicated his enjoyment of their current position. She instinctively scowled at him in response, but as usual, this only increased the haughty amusement in his expression.

He deliberately shifted against her, angling them more sharply towards the ever-approaching ground. His eyes held a challenge; she met it with a shifting of her own body. The twitch at the corners of his mouth almost formed a grin on the taciturn spymaster's face.

Irritated by his amusement at her expense and by the lingering anger she'd felt towards him since she'd overheard Yuwen Zhuo, her mind tried to assign nothing but negative motives to his actions. After all, what could a slave girl ever be to a man like Yuwen Yue but a play-thing and an amusement? Had she not heard his plans for her from his own grandfather's lips? How could she even be thinking of ever trusting him again? He'd surely only betray her in the end and think nothing of taking whatever he wanted from her before throwing her away.

The moon was bright, however, and seemed to to be working with her master to show her the truth of his heart through his eyes. While she could definitely see physical desire in them, she could also see affection, concern, and something she'd almost be tempted to label "love" were she foolish enough to do so. Chu Qiao still believed her anger at Yuwen Yue to be valid, but she could no longer assure herself that he saw her as merely a pawn in his game. His concern for her seemed to go beyond what he would feel for someone he simply wanted to exploit.

Yuwen Yue shifted his body against hers and broke their gaze, clearly preparing for the upcoming landing. She once again instinctively slotted her body against his in a complementary manner, intuitively flying in tandem with this man who still unsettled her more than ever. Making the mistake of meeting his eyes once again, she realized that he was, perhaps, even more affected by their current position than she was. His eyes had darkened in an unfamiliar but exciting way, and she forgot for just a moment that she was seconds away from having to help this man land them safely.

He flared his wings as wide as possible, slowing them down as they rapidly neared the ground. The motion thrust his chest against hers, and she wondered how much her eyes gave away. Her own feelings were whirling about inside of her like the air buffeting her body, so she had no way of defining them in any sort of coherent fashion. Whatever Yuwen Yue saw in her eyes caused that arrogant yet sensual expression she loved and hated to form again on his handsome face, so she figured she must have shown him something she hadn't wanted him to see.

Before she could rouse the motivation to hide her feelings, his body was straightening out and the ground was approaching fast. Chu Qiao simply listened to her instincts and released her grip when the time felt right. She landed almost perfectly, but that didn't stop Yuwen Yue from instinctively reaching out to steady her as soon as he'd tucked his wings.

They both froze at the contact, which seemed silly to Chu Qiao since they'd just spent the past few minutes pressed up against one another. She got the impression that he was trying to tell her something more with his eyes, but she'd never been good at consistently reading this enigmatic, secretive man. What little clarity she'd gained while flying in his arms had left her now that her feet were back on solid ground.

Screams from within _Qing Shan Yuan_ brought them back to their senses, and they dashed towards the courtyard entrance. The guards greeted them with obvious relief as they continued to keep watch over the front of _Qing Shan Yuan_ from outside threats. Chu Qiao tried to forget the confusing maelstrom of emotions she'd recently experienced, but she could tell that her heart was attempting to thwart at least some of her head's plans.

The sight of Yue Jiu battling a couple of newly-dead guards drove all thoughts of love from her mind as she turned her focus to the next fight as she always did. All she knew was that she was certainly not fighting to save _Qing Shan Yuan_ for herself and her sisters because she was never coming back here after tonight. She was definitely going to find her sisters and take them someplace safe—someplace far away from _Qing Shan Yuan _and its frustrating, confusing master. Definitely.

* * *

AN: So there you have it. All 3 of you who are still reading PA fic can ask me what I was thinking to write this fic, and I'll just respond with what has become my favorite emoticon for encapsulating the writing experience: ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯. The musical selection for this chapter is, of course, "If You Want Blood" by AC/DC.


	2. Chapter 2

Part of Yan Xun was dismayed that his services were not needed by time he reached _Qing Shan Yuan_, but the rest of him was glad that he and Xing'er would be able to leave for _Chang'an_ with no more delays. Unsurprisingly, Yuwen Yue had taken steps to ensure that, even if the dead started walking in his home, they would not be able to go far.

Yue Jiu was currently telling Yuwen Yue, Xing'er, and Yue Qi a pathetic story about a love-lorn maid whose passion for a bitten _Hong Shan Yuan_ guard had turned tragic. Apparently, the simple girl had learned through gossip that her guard had turned up at _Qing Shan Yuan_ injured and raving and had decided to take matters into her own hands.

Yan Xun only half-heartedly paid attention to the explanation about how she'd snuck out to the isolated building the bitten men had been housed in and opened the door, unleashing disaster on herself and her unwitting accomplice. The details all blurred together from there as Yan Xun focused more on Xing'er than on the doomed love lives of those around him.

To Yan Xun's practiced gaze, something about Xing'er seemed...off. He didn't know how to articulate the feelings he was sensing from the woman he wanted to take back to _Yanbei_ as more than just a friend. While part of her attitude could be attributed to the dead walking, there was something in her bearing…

Yuwen Yue shifted subtly, his body moving slightly closer to Xing'er's as he gave orders to his various underlings. The spymaster gave no outward sign that his body language was deliberate, but Yan Xun knew better than to underestimate his friend. He'd known from their first conversation after the human hunt that Yuwen Yue liked Xing'er with more than casual interest, but as far as he knew, the man had never tried to take the relationship further.

_I told him not to do anything real with my little wildcat, and before tonight...But then again, haven't we all run out of time? Between my leaving and the dead walking, our worlds are shifting radically. Although I don't think Yuwen Yue knows all of my plan—or Xing'er's role in it—underestimating the spymaster would be foolish. Perhaps he's finally decided to make his move, but it'll surely be too little, too late._

Some people might have considered Yan Xun to be overconfident in regards to Xing'er, but he felt certain that she would ultimately make the right choice. After all, he could offer her freedom, safety, and anything else of his she'd like to claim, and Yuwen Yue? What could he offer her besides slavery and death? As much as Yan Xun cared for his blood brother, he was still willing to take advantage of the spymaster's inability to let his guard down far enough to woo a woman.

Yuwen Yue stepped away from him in order to talk privately with Yue Qi, and Yan Xun seized his chance. He confidently strode over to Xing'er and gave her his best confident grin that usually left the ladies swooning. The small, polite smile he got from Xing'er told him that his expression hadn't done its job this time. Of course, her resistance to his innate charms was one of the aspects of her character that inexorably drew him to her.

"You're welcome," he said with another grin, unable to resist needling her with one of their old jokes.

"What?"

"You never thanked me for rescuing you, so I figured I'd respond politely anyway."

"When did you rescue me, Your Highness?"

"At _Hong Shan Yuan_, of course. Yuwen Yue, you, and the Yue guards were severely outnumbered before I showed up."

"We were quite helpless without you, Your Highness," Xing'er agreed with false sincerity. "Your servant, Xing'er, thanks Your Highness with her whole heart."

Yan Xun's grin stretched across his entire face at the impertinence of his future woman.

"Fine, fine, fine; I can see how you really feel. Maybe next time, I won't rescue you, and your last thought will be that you should've been more grateful."

"My last thought will probably either happen in a fight or in my sleep and will thus be over too quickly for me to think of anything but myself."

"But who else would you think of in either of those circumstances but me, Xing'er?"

"Ah? Why would I think of you, Your Highness?"

"Because we're going to be together, of course."

"I suppose we might die together on a battlefield," Xing'er said with confusion, "but if I'm dying when I'm old and gray in my bed..."

Yan Xun gave Xing'er a look that even she was incapable of misinterpreting. Her eyes grew wide and then narrow in a way that would've seemed comical had their circumstances been better.

"I have agreed to come with you to _Yanbei_ for freedom and safety, Your Highness, but don't think there's anything more between us."

His good humor slipped again, but he quickly regained control over himself.

"Fine, fine, fine; I understand, Xing'er. You have my word that I'll give you and your sisters freedom, protection, and safety. Of course, once we're in _Yanbei_..."

Xing'er's face gave nothing away, which told Yan Xun more than he wanted to know.

"Once my sisters are safe, I'll start thinking about my own future—whatever that may be," she finally said neutrally.

Yan Xun grinned at her before saying, "Once you're in _Yanbei_, you'll realize just how much it and its people have to offer—and what's there for the taking."

Before Xing'er could reply, Yuwen Yue, who had apparently sent his underlings scurrying off to deal with various tasks, stalked over to where Yan Xun and Xing'er were standing.

"Your Highness, thank you for your help tonight. You should probably return to _Chang'an_ and ensure that your own courtyard is safe from the dead. Xing'er, I need to return _Can Hong Jian_ to you since I'm almost finished repairing it. Come."

While Yuwen Yue's farewell was polite, Yan Xun could sense the brusqueness in it. He would not, of course, allow himself to be dismissed so easily.

"I do need to tend to my people, but I also intend to ensure the safety of Xing'er's sisters."

"That is generous but unnecessary, Your Highness. Once Xing'er and I have concluded our business, we'll both ride hard for _Chang'an_. After all, I can hardly leave His Majesty in the dark about recent events."

"I shall wait for you both, then. The roads are even less safe than usual tonight, and I would not want to run into a group of those corpses with no one to protect me."

"Does Your Highness really need someone as insignificant as Xing'er to protect yourself from harm?" she asked with wide-eyed, fake innocence.

He gave her a large, satisfied grin and said, "With you at my side, Xing'er, nothing could stop me—living or dead. And you, too, Yuwen Yue, of course."

"Of course, Your Highness," Yuwen Yue said coolly. "Xing'er and I will endeavor to complete our business as quickly as possible so we can be on our way."

"I'll see to Ji Feng; I want to make sure he's ready for a fast, hard ride."

"That would be a wise idea, Your Highness."

Yuwen Yue turned around and walked away as gracefully as ever; Xing'er gave Yan Xun a lingering look before she walked away. The young prince could sense the turmoil within the woman he still wanted badly in spite of her earlier words. He knew that if he could get her to _Yanbei_, she'd surely come to understand the feelings she had for him. Once she realized that she was in love with him, Yan Xun wouldn't hesitate to make her his princess. The image of his warrior princess dressed in _Yanbei_ finery while carrying a sword _he'd_ given her put a smile on his face as he went off to tend his horse.

* * *

Wei _Gui Fei_ watched dispassionately as her daughter grieved over the loss of her personal maid. She had almost decided to give Chun'er and...Cai Wei, she thought her name was, nothing more than a stern warning, but her daughter's unrepentant attitude had changed her mind. Some odd tension in the air had put her and other perceptive people on edge, and she couldn't help but instinctively react to it.

The lecture about punishment and consequences had seemed to fall on deaf ears as Chun'er had loudly mourned the loss of what Wei _Gui Fei_ knew to be a friend. She'd told her children earlier that they needed to give up on the idea of friendship given their positions, but Chun'er clearly hadn't listened then, either.

The servant girl's death had been an accident; she'd expected the eunuch to cane the girl a few times and send her on her way. Chun'er would've sulked for a couple of weeks while the girl healed, hopefully distracting her from thoughts of Yan Xun in the process. She thought wryly that she had, at least, seemed to accomplish the latter objective as her daughter showed no concern for Yan Xun now.

One of Cai Wei's fingers twitched, causing Wei _Gui Fei_'s eyes to widen slightly. Growing up as a noble and marrying a royal had sheltered her from most of life's harshness, but she was still no stranger to death. While she knew that bodies would sometimes seem to move on their own after death as they stiffened, something about this twitch seemed almost deliberate.

Cai Wei's arms started to move, and Wei _Gui Fei_ knew a moment of true fear. She knew this was not normal, and she took an instinctive step towards her daughter. Fortunately, the girl hadn't noticed the movements her dead friend's body had been making; perhaps Wei _Gui Fei_ could get her out of the room with minimal fuss.

She had to abandon that hope once Chun'er happened to look up as Cai Wei's legs shifted on the low table on which she was laid. A delighted cry broke from Chun'er's lips as she darted over to her friend, hugging her and sobbing with relief and promises of aid. Chun'er gently shook Cai Wei's back, exhorting her to wake up fully and to stand up from her uncomfortable position.

Wei _Gui Fei_'s own personal companion stepped up beside her, wariness in her posture. Their eyes met, and Wei _Gui Fei_ knew that her companion was as unnerved by the situation as she herself was. When Cai Wei started to growl low in her throat, both women darted forward and grabbed one of Chun'er's arms.

Her daughter protested vociferously, however, and refused to leave her injured friend's side. Wei_Gui Fei_ tried to reason with Chun'er, but her daughter was beyond that point. She could feel disaster closing in, so she redoubled her efforts.

Cai Wei lunged impossibly fast, grasping Chun'er's arm in her own and inexorably pulling it towards her gaping mouth. The dead girl growled again as she opened eyes that seemed to have turned milky white. Chun'er screamed and tried to pull away, babbling nonsense at what had once been Cai Wei.

Her daughter was obviously weakening, though, and her arm was now perilously close to the slave girl's mouth. As Chun'er slumped forward in defeat, Wei _Gui Fei_ acted instinctively, shoving her own arm in front of Cai Wei's mouth instead. She cried out in agony as the dead girl sank her teeth into her arm greedily.

Other cries rang out, but she focused on getting Chun'er away from this serious threat. A pair of arms grabbed her screaming daughter and pulled her away, so she tried to free her own arm from the grasp of the dead servant girl. She had little success until someone struck the snarling corpse with the cane that had crossed its back mere minutes ago.

Wei _Gui Fei_ managed to pull free, but she was unable to evade the girl's lunge and had ended up trapped in a corner. Her companion hit the corpse's head with the cane this time but only succeeded in knocking the dead girl into Wei _Gui Fei_. As the corpse of the girl for whose death she was partially responsible bit into her throat, Wei _Gui Fei_ wryly thought that she'd either completely succeeded or completely failed to teach her daughter about choices and consequences.

* * *

While Yuwen Yue's hand was busy brushing characters onto a document, his mind was occupied with thoughts of the woman who would soon walk through the door with his tea. Although staying in his rooms might have been easier, Yuwen Yue had wanted to hold his upcoming meeting with Xing'er in one of the most secure places in their world. He relished the peace and quiet of his writing area in the Eyes of God complex, knowing that he would experience few similar moments of peace this night.

Xing'er strode purposefully into the room as he stamped the document he'd just completed with the Yuwen seal. He allowed the ink to dry for a few moments before surreptitiously moving the document to the side of the table where it joined two others. The tea tray replaced the document he'd just moved, and he smiled inwardly as he realized that Xing'er had also brought him some light food with his tea.

Part of him wondered why Xing'er had done so since she was clearly eager to depart for Chang'an, but the rest of him knew that he had no time to dwell on such details. After all, time was short, and he understood that he was going to need to have one of the most important conversations of his life with relatively little preparation.

He ate his food and drank his tea with no delay, silently lamenting his inability to irritate Xing'er by taking his time. Given the chaos she'd recently caused, she deserved to suffer. His future—both short-term and long-term—hinged on the success of this discussion, however, and he was unwilling to jeopardize the quality of his life just to satisfy his immediate desires.

Xing'er watched him eat and drink with impatient patience, just barely managing to keep her subservient veneer over her inward disdain and defiance. He knew that he could lose her to Yan Xun if he weren't careful; the uncertainty bothered him more than he wanted to admit. Still, she was here, and he knew full well that he wouldn't have been able to say the same had the dead not started walking tonight.

She took away his tray when he was done and moved to take it back to the kitchens. They had no time for such domestic tasks, however, so he simply said, "Leave it."

Xing'er didn't protest his instructions, likely figuring that the less time she had to spend walking around, the quicker she would be able to rescue her sisters. She looked at him expectantly, so Yuwen Yue, of course, retrieved _Can Hong Jian_ from the rack on which Yue Qi had recently placed it and started to polish it for her. After all, who would believe that he'd repaired the sword for Xing'er if he returned it to her in less-than-perfect condition?

She scowled at the delay, gratifying Yuwen Yue in multiple ways. Not only was he repaying her for the trouble she'd caused him; he was also able to increase her anxiety and impatience in regards to her sisters. Perhaps she'd be more willing to listen to him if she had a bit more time to contemplate reality. Once he felt she'd almost reached her breaking point, he began the next phase of his plan.

"Freedom. Protection. Safety," he said lowly without looking up.

Xing'er's silence spoke volumes as he continued to polish the blade of _Can Hong Jian_. He allowed the awkward silence to stretch further as he waited for Xing'er to acknowledge that he knew all of her and Yan Xun's plans.

"How much are freedom, protection, and safety worth to you, Xing'er?" he finally asked as he pinned her with his most intense stare. "Are they worth your life? Your sisters' lives? All that you are?"

She glared at him defiantly before saying, "They're worth different amounts to different people—especially to those who have none of them."

"Do you really think anyone ever has all three, Xing'er? Not even I do. They're all illusions that can disappear on the whim of a ruler or the decision of a father. You might think your actions will lead to your gaining your freedom only to discover that you're less free than ever."

"I wouldn't expect you to understand, _Gong Zi_. After all, what can a master know of the desire for freedom?"

His face hardened as he stared her down, unwilling to cede this point without first making his own.

"Everything I have, everything I've sacrificed so much for, could be taken from me if the emperor decided to punish me. He could put Yuwen Huai in charge of the Eyes of God permanently. He could have me executed publicly or privately. He could force me into the military or slavery or exile. He could strip me of _Qing Shan Yuan_, the Yue guards, and my slaves. Where would my freedom and safety be then? Who would protect me—or my people?"

"You mean you don't trust your fellow nobles, _Gong Zi_?" Xing'er asked with wide, innocent eyes. "Surely they wouldn't allow one of their peers to be treated so badly."

He gave her a dark look in reply; she seemed to find it amusing. Yuwen Yue decided to wipe the smirk off her face.

"Who do you think will protect you in _Yanbei_, Xing'er? A young prince with little political knowledge or clout in the homeland he hasn't lived in since he was a boy? Soldiers whose primary loyalties lie with their homeland rather than with a striking stranger who fascinates the prince?"

"Of course Yan Xun would protect me," Xing'er protested hotly. "How many times has he done so already?"

"Yan Xun is a good man, a good friend, and a good fighter," Yuwen Yue conceded. "However, he is woefully unprepared to take his place as a prince of _Yanbei_—or to survive this plague of death that is sickening the world."

"I take it you believe yourself to be a better candidate to provide me with protection and safety than Yan Xun."

"Of course," Yuwen Yue said nonchalantly. "After all, do I not have _Qing Shan Yuan_? It has high, thick walls, sturdy gates, and competent guards. It's far enough away from the city to not be overrun with the dead when it inevitably falls but close enough for us to be able to scavenge supplies from it when the time comes."

"_Gong Zi_, you're talking as if you believe that _Chang'an_ will fall due to, what? These walking corpses? Do you really think that the dead will be able to overwhelm the soldiers of Wei so easily?"

"Your faith in _Wei's_ military is touching, Xing'er, but you haven't been reading the reports I've been receiving over the past month or so."

"Yue _Gong Zi_ never shares such information with Xing'er, so why would Xing'er expect him to do so now?"

In the interest of saving time, Yuwen Yue decided to ignore Xing'er's sugary-sweet tone.

"I haven't shared this information with anyone but my grandfather and the emperor—especially since neither would believe my intelligence."

"I can't imagine that anyone would ever doubt Yue _Gong Zi_'s intelligence."

"I wish I could say I was surprised, but I'm not. The emperor is too wrapped up in this imagined _Yanbei_ uprising, and my grandfather is too consumed with eliminating the _Liang_ spies. Neither was willing to hear reports about an improbable-sounding plague that causes dead people to come back to life and attack the living. Not that I wanted to believe them, either, but I couldn't ignore multiple reports from trustworthy sources."

"So when you said this was happening elsewhere-"

"I wasn't lying to you, Xing'er. If anything, I downplayed the threat. Everywhere I have a spy network set up, I've received various reports about walking corpses that can destroy all in their path. I can't blame people for not believing me; before tonight, I didn't truly believe the reports myself. That does not mean, however, that I haven't been preparing for this possibility."

"You already said you think _Chang'an_ is going to fall. Does that mean you expect the palace to fall as well?"

"I can see that the prospect of the royal family's demise pains you greatly. The palace itself has more security features than _Qing Shan Yuan_, but its inhabitants are-"

"Incompetent, corrupt, and unable to solve their own problems?"

"I was going to say that, outside of the guards, the royals are unused to combat. Even the guards might never have been in a true battle. Here at _Qing Shan Yuan_, many of us not only have the knowledge of how to fight but the experience needed to win."

"But I thought that safety and protection were only illusions, _Gong Zi_."

"They are, Xing'er; they definitely are. And yet, I feel that we have a better chance of surviving this plague here at _Qing Shan Yuan_ than anyone else has elsewhere."

"What if someone else realizes that? What if someone else comes here to take _Qing Shan Yuan_?"

"Then we'll fight and kill them, of course. How many assassination attempts do you think I've survived, Xing'er?"

"At least one too many?"

Yuwen Yue felt his face form the look he always gave her whenever she said something that simultaneously irritated, amused, and aroused him. Life with Xing'er at his side would never be boring—with or without the rising of the dead.

"And yet, were I dead, where would you be, Xing'er? You would be dead as well, and wouldn't have had the opportunity to form a cunning plan to run away with Yan Xun while standing only a couple of feet away from me."

"I can't help that some people's manners are so poor that they would eavesdrop on private conversations."

"The next time you're verbally planning an escape with a mutual friend, I'll be sure to give you your privacy."

"You're assuming there will be a next time."

"Of course there will be a next time. I'd like to believe that you'll make the smart decision to stay at _Qing Shan Yuan_ indefinitely, but I can't count on you to not make at least one or two more bad decisions before you reach that point."

"You mean there are more earth-shattering betrayals and secrets for me to discover here?"

"I'm sure I could find some for you if that's what you want."

"Since when has what I wanted ever mattered to anyone here?"

"What do you want, Xing'er?" he asked as he slowly stood up behind his desk and walked over to her. "Protection and safety? You and your sisters already have that here. _Qing Shan Yuan_ has walls, gates, guards—and this place. The home of the Eyes of God. Even if _Qing Shan Yuan_ were to fall, we'd still be able to live in here for quite some time. Can you guarantee that Yan Xun will be able to provide you with anything better in _Yanbei_—should you even manage to reach it alive?"

He could see she was wavering, that he was getting through to her. His heart soared and his mind sharpened, knowing that his future happiness hinged on his ability to seal the deal with the woman he loved. While he knew she was not ready to know about his feelings for her, he felt that she would at least consider remaining with him for as close to guaranteed protection as she and her sisters could get.

"I want freedom, _Gong Zi_," she said with quiet conviction. "I understand that nobles especially are subject to the will of the emperor, but I still maintain that a free man cannot truly conceive of what slavery is like."

"If the same thing happens to _Wei_ that's been happening elsewhere, what difference will there be between slave and free? The dead don't care how noble or royal your blood is, Xing'er. The living will have far more pressing matters to attend to than worrying about a person's social status."

"That future may come to pass, or it may not. Perhaps you'll manage to save all of _Wei_, _Gong Zi_. Then my sisters and I will still be slaves that are no closer to freedom than we are now."

"Be careful that you don't lose the freedom you already have because you choose to chase after the illusion of freedom before you."

She stared at him with sad defiance, so he knew that now was the time to counter Yan Xun's offer. He walked over to his desk, picked up the three documents for the freeing of slaves, and fanned them out before her.

"Whether or not I understand the nature of slavery, I know that giving freedom to someone else is easy. The bottom line is that I no longer have the luxury of trying to hold onto people who don't want to help us survive. From now on, my top priority is preparing my home to weather the upcoming storm.

If three slaves run away, then my people are not going to risk their lives to retrieve them. If, however, they want to stay here and help us survive, then they'll be able to to do so freely."

He held out the documents to Xing'er, who took them with trembling hands. She read them with obvious disbelief followed by relief. Yuwen Yue couldn't help but be moved at the sight of his beloved's obvious happiness. In fact, he hoped to have many more opportunities to put a variety of positive expressions on her face.

"Thank you, Yue _Gong Zi_," she said softly as she looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "I know you say this was easy for you, but this means..."

Yuwen Yue felt himself grow uncomfortable with the situation, so he decided to bring this discussion to a close.

"As I said, this was a practical decision on my part. I've wasted too much time training you to lose you due to a simple problem I could easily solve. I've also already purchased supplies for you and your sisters with the assumption that you would all be staying, and I don't want to have done so for nothing. In fact...come, Xing'er."

He abruptly turned away from her and led her to a nondescript door that opened silently at his touch. A few torches lit up the large space well enough for him and Xing'er to be able to see numerous boxes, crates, jars, and other indistinguishable shapes. Her gasp told him that she'd realized what she was seeing.

"I told you I've been preparing, Xing'er. My grandfather thinks I'm stocking up for a shortage of supplies caused by a potential war between _Wei_ and _Yanbei_, which wasn't entirely dishonest."

"Of course not, Yue _Gong Zi_," Xing'er said with a small smile. "After all, you would never be so gauche as to tell a mere lie when a half-truth would do."

"I spend so much time around people who tell half-truths that I've gotten into the habit of doing so myself," he said, pointedly looking at her.

"I can easily believe that your grandfather would have such tendencies, and perhaps your guards as well. At least you're not as bad as the members of the Third Branch, though; if they told me the sun was shining, I'd prepare for rain."

Yuwen Yue gave her a sardonic look before walking up to a specific crate, opening it, and pulling out a black robe that was almost identical to his own. He held it out to her, and she took it questioningly.

"You need to change before we go to_ Chang'an_. After all, you wouldn't want to scare your sisters by showing up covered in the remains of the dead. Unless they've grown used to your being covered in blood; then you can stay in those filthy robes if you want to."

"Thank you, _Gong Zi_," Xing'er said with a sarcastic bow. "Your concern for my well-being is truly touching."

He stepped closer and gave her a potent look, withdrawing just before the air grew too charged between them. After all, he still had one more thing to give her, and he didn't want to overshadow that moment with this one.

"I keep telling you that I've been preparing for the possibility of this plague reaching _Wei_. I also told you that I've purchased supplies with the understanding that you'll be here at my side. This is only one of the things I've gotten you."

She stared up at him with wide eyes before moving back further into the room. He left the room and closed the door behind him, imagining how she would look in the red wedding garb and maternity robes he'd also had made for her. Those images coupled with memories of the way she'd felt wrapped around him while they were flying through the night air occupied him until the door opened and she confidently strode out in the black robes he'd given her. The fact that her outfit matched his filled him with a bevy of feelings he kept off his face with great effort.

"As you can see, the robes are durable and close-fitting, yet loose enough for you to secure your weapons and documents within. They also have attachments for wings and _Can Hong Jian_."

"They're perfect for rescuing runaway sisters and fighting hordes of walking corpses. Thank you, _Gong Zi_."

He slowly walked up to her again, this time holding out _Can Hong Jian_ once he reached her. His face was blank, but he knew he was unable to keep his eyes from burning with the potency of at least some of his feelings for Xing'er. She stared at the sword for a second as if she were realizing the importance of the moment.

Yuwen Yue could see her reach a mental decision that translated into her taking the sword from his hand and resting it at her side. Pleasant tension flared between them as her own eyes reflected feelings he knew she didn't understand. He allowed the intensity to grow, reveling in the effortlessness of its generation. Yan Xun may have tried to force Xing'er into admitting to having feelings for him, but Yuwen Yue had never had to work to generate the attraction he and Xing'er shared.

"Come, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue murmured. "_Chang'an_ awaits."

"I think we've let His Highness wait long enough," Xing'er said.

He scowled at the reminder that Xing'er might ultimately choose to go home with a man other than himself tonight.

"The sooner he leaves _Wei_, the better off he'll be," he said, striding towards the exit to the Eyes of God complex with Xing'er at his heels.

_The better off we'll all be—especially if he leaves without you, Xing'er,_ he mentally amended.

He said nothing as they walked towards the secret door, knowing that pressuring Xing'er further would cause her to make a foolish choice out of stubbornness. Images of what living in this world would be like without Xing'er at his side assailed him, and his whole body grew cold at the thought of having no reasons for his existence other than familial piety and societal obligation to his state and estate.

He knew he could do no more, however, and he felt that he'd been more honest with Xing'er than ever before. Part of him hated himself for the level of openness he'd displayed, yet his mind would not stop showing him what life would be like when the world outside echoed the deadness within. As the door grated closed behind them, he acknowledged the truth.

_If this conversation keeps Xing'er from leaving me, then I'll never regret it as long as I live._


	3. Chapter 3

AN: I'm glad I've picked up a few weirdos...I mean, readers. Now we're getting into the middle of the story, so we're going to start pulling in a few more characters. Zombie violence abounds, but as always, XingYue still finds some time together even in the midst of the chaos.

Yuwen Huai didn't regret killing Yan Shicheng and his troops even though they had all somehow come back to life and were now trying to kill him and the few remaining _Wei_ soldiers. As he parted yet another _Yanbei_ soldier's head from his shoulders, he marveled at finding himself in such an unbelievable situation. Was this some rival country's plot? Were the _Liang_ spies he'd recently allied with involved? Or perhaps the Afterlife Camp had something to do with it? After all, death imagery was their trademark.

The press of corpses coming his way pushed all such thoughts from his mind as he concentrated on killing the dead without getting bitten. He was thankful to be wearing his full armor as it protected him almost completely from this new threat. Yuwen Huai figured that he'd be wearing this armor much more frequently if he managed to survive this battle.

He stumbled over the headless body of a _Yanbei_ soldier and deftly stabbed his blade up under the throat of one of the corpses. It went down with a rasp, only to be instantly replaced by another that stretched its hands towards him with the same mindless enthusiasm shown by the others. This one was a _Wei_ soldier; apparently, one of the dead had been content to rip his throat out before moving onto a body with more exposed skin. Yuwen Huai stabbed him through the eye and moved onto the next corpse—and the next, and the next, and the next.

Moonlight lit the clearing almost to the brightness of early daytime, yet the dark shadows cast by the trees made distinguishing between friend and foe difficult. Of course, with the rising of the dead, the battle lines had been redrawn between the living and the not living. In spite of the circumstances, Yuwen Huai still spared a twisted smile for the couple of _Yanbei_ soldiers fighting for their lives alongside their _Wei_ counterparts. Yuwen Huai would not, of course, let them live, but he knew better than to discard essential resources until they'd outlived their usefulness.

He finally fought himself free of the clearing and stepped behind a large tree to catch his breath. The rest was welcome, although he knew he couldn't stay in place for long. After all, the corpses seemed to have keen senses for dead men, and he knew they'd smell his living scent soon enough. Although the living seemed to have many advantages over the dead, stamina wasn't one of them. As far as he could tell, the dead did not seem to tire at all; sadly, he could not say the same for himself.

Yuwen Huai carefully peeked around the side of the tree, beholding the surreal scene before him from his safer vantage point. Only a handful of men were still fighting, and more of the dead seemed to be rising. As much as Yuwen Huai hated the idea of leaving the battlefield without the head of his enemy, he knew that detaching Yan Shicheng's head from his body would be difficult and risky. He'd expected tonight to be a pleasure romp full of quick and easy kills, but he hadn't even been able to decapitate the now-former _Yanbei_ ruler before the dead had started coming back to life.

A shuffling sound near his hiding place dragged his attention back to the matter at hand. An armor-clad body lurched around the corner, and Yuwen Huai stabbed up through its throat before he got a look at its face. To his shock, the body gurgled and gasped rather than growled. The man's eyes tilted up towards the pale moon, and Yuwen Huai could tell that they were unclouded. A small part of him recoiled at the knowledge that he'd killed an innocent man, but he mentally shrugged as he moved onto the next challenge. After all, the man was just a _Wei_ soldier. Was it not his duty to die so that Yuwen Huai could live?

He looked around what was left of the battlefield once more and realized that there were even fewer men still standing. Perhaps now was the time to slip away silently and try to make his way discreetly back to _Chang'an_. Maybe he could even find a horse; after all, they couldn't all be dead, could they?

An equine scream nearby made him question that conclusion—especially since it was followed by more frantic sounds of terror. The few horses that were left were being slaughtered; if Yuwen Huai were lucky, they'd serve as a distraction to the corpses. His luck ran out, however, as the few surviving _Wei_ soldiers spotted him and hailed him with shouts. He considered killing them on the spot, but a better idea for revenge came to him as many of the forces—led by a milky-eyed Yan Shicheng—started to lurch towards the living voices.

"Retreat to _Chang'an_!" he yelled at the several _Wei_ soldiers still living. "If we can reach the West Gate, then we'll be able to get the guards to open it for us."

Their wide, living eyes were full of terror and a willingness to do exactly what Yuwen Huai said. They needed no further prompting to begin running towards the steep hill leading down to the city. As they reached the edge of the ridge, _Chang'an_ beckoned to them in the night, a beacon of peace and a refuge from the insanity unfolding behind them.

To Yuwen Huai's surprise, the sole surviving _Yanbei_ soldier ran after them as if he intended to follow them to _Chang'an_. Yuwen Huai's mouth twisted in a smirk as he decided to grant the man his wish. He and the _Wei_ soldiers took off running down the hill, sprinting as quickly as they could to escape the growling, snarling soldiers rambling behind them.

The _Yanbei_ soldier was between them and many of his former comrades, so Yuwen Huai pulled his small crossbow from his robes and used it to shoot the man in the chest. He cried out in agony and shock as the bolt struck home; his cries turned to screams as the dead began to devour him alive.

_Yes, he will serve as another diversion, _Yuwen Huai thought in good humor as he and the _Wei_ soldiers continued their descent. _Of course, at least one of these _Wei_ soldiers will likely die on the way down, too, increasing my odds of survival. _

His mouth twisted again as he glanced behind him and realized that his dead nemesis was still leading the pack of corpses.

_Perhaps I'll be able to get Yan Shicheng's head after all, _he mused as he and his men thundered down the hill towards _Chang'an_ with the horde of _Wei_ and _Yanbei_ soldiers hot on their heels.

Chu Qiao felt a cold chill go down her spine as she realized that her sisters were not at the restaurant where they were supposed to be waiting. While she knew she had arrived at the designated meeting place much later than scheduled, she still wished her sisters had kept to the plan they'd formed. How could she leave _Chang'an_ with Yan Xun if her sisters were hiding somewhere in the city?

She slid off her horse and sprinted over to the restaurant, searching between the rows of tables and chairs as if she expected her sisters to be cowering behind them. Chu Qiao stood at the railing and stared aimlessly down one of the side streets outside of the restaurant, willing her sisters to suddenly pop into view. The sound of a man dismounting behind her reached her ears, and she instantly identified her now-former master's tread. Although she was now a free woman, she couldn't help but want to leave the decision-making up to Yuwen Yue.

_How can I leave the decision-making up to the man who has put me in such turmoil? s_he wondered as he strode closer to her. _How can I leave, period?_

_But how could I not leave? s_he thought as Yuwen Yue dispassionately eyed the area and scanned the abandoned streets for signs of her siblings. _Just because we didn't talk much about Yuwen Xi, Yuwen Zhuo, and Linxi doesn't mean that the problems associated with them have gone away. _

Chu Qiao could hear Yuwen Yue's voice in her head dryly saying that only she would describe potentially being arrested for having murdered a man as a _problem_. Nevertheless, the possibility of being held accountable for Yuwen Xi's murder in spite of her and Yuwen Yue's efforts was a genuine threat.

After all, they hadn't been able to properly clean up _Hong Shan Yuan_, so Yuwen Huai—wherever he was—would likely be able to tell that some of those soldiers had been killed solely by blades. Would she be caught? Would Yuwen Yue be implicated? What fate would befall her sisters then?

"You're either thinking too much or not enough, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue murmured as he came to stand beside her at the railing.

"You've given me much to think about, _Gong Zi_," Chu Qiao said in an equally low tone. "And, of course, my sisters are missing, but you're probably less concerned about them."

"Of course, I'm concerned about them. After all, their safety and well-being motivate much of your behavior."

"You mean they've given powerful men the means to control me through coercion and threats."

"They've also given powerful men a means of convincing you of their sincerity."

"Has a powerful man ever managed to convince me of his sincerity?"

"Only you can say for sure."

"Well, you can waste time standing around here if you want to, _Gong Zi_. I have sisters to find, and I know that you have business at the palace. You wouldn't want to keep His Majesty waiting."

"Since His Majesty doesn't know that I'm coming, there's no danger of keeping him waiting."

"Then I'm sure he'd be gratified to speak to you as quickly as possible."

"Are you trying to get rid of me, Xing'er? Do you have plans we didn't discuss on the way here?"

"What plans could I possibly have made on the way here? Perhaps you managed to accidentally overhear another conversation?"

"Had I overheard a conversation on the road to _Chang'an_, it wouldn't have been by accident. I would never leave to chance something as important as knowing your plans."

"Why would the nature of the plans of a lowly former slave be important to Yue _Gong Zi_?"

"Because this lowly former slave has a penchant for causing unfortunate incidents whenever she starts to feel the walls closing in on her."

"She probably has a good reason for doing so."

"Perhaps, but good reasons can lead to bad choices under the right circumstances."

"Or the wrong circumstances."

"Have we encountered any right circumstances tonight, Xing'er?"

"Well, you did give me my freedom."

"Yes, that particular decision is reaping dividends for me already."

"It made me really happy, _Gong Zi_."

"As gratifying as your happiness is, I'll withhold my judgment on the wisdom of my decision until tomorrow."

"You mean you didn't free me just because doing so was right?"

"Of course I did, Xing'er. If freeing you was necessary to keep you from making a stupid choice, then choosing to do so was obviously the right decision."

"As was choosing to make me continue to wear my silver bells?"

"Right. Even someone as short-sighted as you had to agree that tonight would not be a good night to announce your change in status."

"You told me so after you insisted that we stop by your rooms so you could 'retrieve a few things.' Surely Yue Qi could've brought your sword and my silver bells to you in your Eyes of God office."

"But then we couldn't have said goodbye to my parrot."

"That would've been a shame."

"And I wouldn't have been able to return your bells to you in private."

"That also would've been a shame."

"It would've been a shame if someone would've noticed you without them and asked questions."

Hoofbeats sounded behind them, startling Chu Qiao until she realized the identity of the rider.

"I checked that street over there for your wayward sisters, Xing'er," the young prince said as he casually dismounted his horse. "I didn't see any signs of them, though. Maybe they went down this street instead."

He gestured in the general direction of the street beyond the railing at which she and Yuwen Yue had been standing.

"Maybe," Chu Qiao said, somewhat disturbed that she hadn't even noticed Yan Xun had left. A slight smirk on Yuwen Yue's face told her that the spymaster might've known at least some of her thoughts.

"You still aren't going to thank me, Xing'er? So ungrateful."

"Thank you, Your Highness," she said with an exaggerated clasp and bow. "I'm sure that riding Ji Feng up and down the street was immensely taxing for you."

"It was, Xing'er. These streets can be dangerous, you know. I almost hit my head on a low-hanging lantern. What would've happened then?"

"You probably would've had to rebraid your hair, Your Highness. That would've been tragic, indeed."

"I'm sure you would've been able to adequately comfort me in my time of loss, Xing'er."

"Mm," she replied, not wanting to encourage the prince in that line of thinking.

She noticed that Yuwen Yue's face had hardened; apparently he had taken Yan Xun's meaning as well. Why did the thought of Yuwen Yue overhearing and understanding the prince's joke bother her so much? Why was she so determined to think of Yan Xun's words as a joke when she knew they were anything but? Why were her heart, head, and instincts in such turmoil?

They stood in awkward silence for a moment as Chu Qiao tried to think of a way to extricate herself from these two men without starting an argument. After all, she had two sisters to find, and she knew that both men had other obligations. Her sisters' disappearance had bought her more time to decide whether to go to _Yanbei_ or return to _Qing Shan Yuan_, and she wanted to lose herself in this latest distraction.

A shriek from the general direction of the palace broke the silence, startling all of them. Even Yuwen Yue's eyes widened as his nostrils flared, his head whipping towards the sound. More screams followed, and the shouts of guards from a few streets over rang out. Boots and hooves pounded the ground as the soldiers presumably made their way to the palace.

Yan Xun immediately ran for Ji Feng, jumping on his horse in preparation for escape. For a moment, she and Yuwen Yue were standing beside each other, eyes visible to none but each other. For a moment, what Chu Qiao saw in Yuwen Yue's gaze took her breath away as she recognized vulnerability and pleading in his expression. For a moment, she wanted nothing more than to follow Yuwen Yue to the palace and to protect him as she was meant to do.

As was so often the case, however, life moved too quickly for Chu Qiao to be able to act on her feelings. Yuwen Yue broke eye contact and strode quickly from the restaurant, mounting his horse and taking off for the palace. Yan Xun rode up to her, exhorting her to get on her horse as well. After all, they were way behind schedule and he had to make contact with his people.

Chu Qiao walked over to her horse but did not mount it. This turned out to be a wise decision as Yan Xun's people emerged partially from the shadows. From her position on the ground, she was better able to exchange greetings with them—and to discuss in whispers the need to deal with the guards at the gate. Apparently, the plan had initially been to kill the guards promptly at the scheduled time, but the head of their forces had decided to wait until Yan Xun arrived in order to avoid any unpleasantries that could've resulted from early discovery. Thus far, they had managed to avoid detection and were now ready to deal with the soldiers.

She nodded and grunted at the appropriate times, but she was still mentally reeling from the look Yuwen Yue had given her as well as some of her recent realizations. Some of the _Yanbei_ fighters slipped away towards the gate; Chu Qiao gathered that they'd gone to eliminate the guards as previously discussed. Not having paid attention, she couldn't be completely sure.

"I'm glad you've decided to come with me, Xing'er," Yan Xun said with a confident grin.

"I...but...what? Your Highness, I can't leave _Chang'an_! My sisters are here! I have to stay for them!"

"For them...or for Yuwen Yue?"

Chu Qiao's face froze in a wide-eyed expression as Yan Xun unexpectedly cut straight to the heart of the matter. All she could do was to stare at him in shock as his own vulnerable expression looked down at her. As happy as her new status as a free woman made her, she felt somewhat cheated that it hadn't made her life any easier.

Yuan Song's life seemed anything but easy as he trotted his horse towards the _Chang'an_ camp. All the young prince really wanted to do was to curl up in a ball in his bed and weep for the family tragedy that had befallen them. Barring that option, he would prefer to be able to help his sister deal with the multiple traumas she'd faced this night. His father, however, had been livid when he'd suggested comforting Chun'er as an acceptable course of action.

He shivered in his armor as he remembered the unhinged look on his father's face as he'd confronted Yuan Song over his mother's body. The servants had cleaned his mother's corpse as well as they could, but the rictus of terror frozen on her face couldn't be wiped away. Neither could the wounds she'd sustained to her throat and face in her successful battle to save Chun'er from the grisly death she herself had suffered.

Chun'er had been sitting in the middle of her bed with her knees drawn up to her chest and a blank look on her face when Yuan Song had last checked on her. His father had summoned him, and his sister hadn't even acknowledged his presence or departure. Since he himself had still been in shock over everything that had happened, he had been ill-prepared to face the grief-enhanced wrath of his father.

Expecting to be asked to give or receive some comfort, Yuan Song had been blindsided by his father's vitriolic rejection of his request to be allowed to return to Chun'er's side. His father had started ranting in disjointed fashion about Chun'er's lack of understanding and loyalty, Yan Xun's culpability, and Yuan Song's lack of fitness for any sort of service to the state.

The prince's shock had struck him dumb, which had only helped to make his father's case against him. Ultimately, his father had given him an ultimatum: Either return to the palace with a report that Yan Xun was currently languishing in _Chang'an's_ jail or keep riding right on out of _Chang'an_. Not that Yuan Song believed for a moment that his father would actually exile him; surely that was just the grief talking.

His arrival at the gates to the military camp brought him out of his musings as he focused on the task set before him. Not that Yuan Song wanted to end the worst night of his life by arresting one of the few men he actually considered a friend; on the contrary, he hoped to avoid the _Yanbei_ prince for the rest of the night.

He exchanged greetings with the guards at the gate and ordered them to bring Commander in Chief Xue to the entrance to meet with him. Of course, Yuan Song knew that he could've simply had a guard escort him to the commander's location, but why would he want to proceed any quicker than necessary? Besides, if the commander felt insulted by a perceived slight on Yuan Song's part, then maybe he would drag out the process of giving Yuan Song the necessary soldiers to complete his mission.

Before leaving the palace, Yuan Song had vowed to do everything in his power to fail at his given task. His mother's death had brought home to him how fleeting and fragile life could be, and he knew he couldn't be responsible for ending his good friend's life. Yuan Song didn't consider many people to be his true friends; in fact, only Yuwen Yue and, perhaps, Wei Shuye might have counted. And Xing'er, of course, although his feelings for her were of a different nature.

He felt his face relax for the first time in a while as he thought of the woman he'd been drawn to since their first encounter at the pavilion. Would he ever be able to win her affections? Was there any hope that he might be able to make her his wife—or at least, perhaps, his concubine—someday? What would life with Xing'er at his side be like? Of course, there were some obvious situations he could envision…

A groan from the tent behind him drew him out of his pleasant fantasies. This groan had most definitely not been caused by pleasure. Neither had the growl that followed it from another location in the tent. Yuan Song squinted in the dim lighting of a nearby torch, finally figuring out that he was standing before the medical tent. His eyes widened as the implications of the sources of the noises came to him.

Suddenly, the idea of leaving the _Chang'an_ camp didn't seem so unappealing. After all, if those soldiers had been injured in the attack on his mother and sister and has sustained injuries...Well, maybe he was just being paranoid. After all, if the men hadn't died right away from their wounds, then maybe they would survive and all would be well.

Commander in Chief Xue strode confidently towards Yuan Song, making him feel like a little boy playing dress-up in his father's armor. This was obviously a man who had earned his ranking on the battlefield and who would not suffer fools lightly. He made his greetings and gave his condolences in ways that conveyed just enough politeness without the presence of respect.

Under normal circumstances, Yuan Song might've been offended, but his dueling desires to leave the camp and to prolong his so-called arrest of Yan Xun occupied too much of his mind for him to care about political posturing. He told the commander his father's orders, which were met with obvious skepticism. Not that the general would dare to deny a prince of _Wei_ anything, but Yuan Song could tell that the man didn't believe him capable of arresting Yan Xun.

The prince would never learn the rest of the commander in chief's thoughts about the emperor's orders because one of the dead soldiers lurched out of the medical tent behind Xue and bit the man's cheek before anyone knew what was happening. Xue yelled hoarsely but drew his sword, instinctively jamming it in the soldier's gut. Yuan Song tried to cry out a warning, but the commander in chief had already received another bite to this throat as a result of his bad decision.

"Stab...stab...stab them in the head!" Yuan Song finally gibbered at the bewildered guards. "Stab their eyes! Stab their ears! Stab under their necks into their heads!"

Then the prince remembered he also had a sword and pulled it with the jerky motion of the inexperienced. His assistance was not needed, however, as the men managed to put the soldier down without him. The other soldier lurched out of the tent but was quickly dispatched, not having managed to bite anyone—as far as Yuan Song knew, anyway.

Whether he was imagining things or not, Yuan Song couldn't shake the impression that some of the men were hiding something—like bites, perhaps. Did a bite always mean death and reanimation? Should he question the men further about their possible wounds?

"As I told your commander in chief, I need to take a squadron of men with me so that I can hunt down that traitor, Yan Xun," he said instead. "Since Xue is dead, who should I talk to now?"

Several different names rang out from the soldiers, followed by looks of animosity sent towards each other. Yuan Song mentally sighed as he realized he'd accidentally ended up in the middle of a fresh power struggle. At least he wouldn't have to worry about arresting Yan Xun anytime soon.

Part of Yuwen Yue wished that the emperor had been willing to meet with him, but the pragmatic part of him relished the opportunity to do what needed to be done without the politicking. Understandably, the emperor had been grieving the loss of his favorite concubine and had not wanted to speak with anyone outside of his chief eunuch.

The spymaster had dutifully relayed his narrative of the night's events to the eunuch, who had presumably told it to the emperor. Yuwen Yue had hoped to be granted an audience based on the nature of the situation and his knowledge of this latest threat, but the emperor had given the eunuch a royal decree and asked to be left in peace.

As a result of that royal decree, Yuwen Yue now found himself riding hard for the _Chang'an_ camp so that he could take over the defense of the city—at least in regards to the threat of the walking dead. He saw the wisdom in the emperor's decree; after all, he was an excellent planner who was committed to protecting the innocent. However, he couldn't help but wonder if the emperor's decision to keep him in _Chang'an_ had been solely about defense and duty.

Yuwen Yue continued to examine the possibility that the emperor had wanted to keep him from helping Yan Xun, but he also found himself mourning the loss of Wei _Gui Fei_. Although the two of them had not always seen eye to eye, she had helped him on occasion. Even when he'd disagreed with her willingness to utilize his ruthless cousin, he'd always understood that the concubine had simply been doing her best to improve her family's position. After all, had he not also done questionable things to keep his people safe?

Xing'er's face intruded in his thoughts, and he tried to push it to the side as he'd been doing all night. He couldn't believe that he'd shared such an open, vulnerable look with her, but as with the conversation they'd had earlier, if she stayed…

Thoughts of the several eunuchs he'd had to rekill in the palace brought his mind back to the matter at hand. He couldn't tell if they'd died from their injuries or from something else, but he understood the incomprehensible disaster that could befall _Chang'an_ if even just a couple of recently reanimated corpses were to rise up in such a densely-populated area. His respect for the head eunuch had increased when he had answered his tactful inquiry with the assurance that Wei _Gui Fei_ had been stabbed in the head not long after she'd died. At least someone in Wei was apparently capable of learning lessons from experience and behaving accordingly.

Yuwen Yue's senses sharpened as the sound of raised voices reached his ears beyond the gates to the _Chang'an_ camp. He quickly rode through the entrance, unworried that he'd be stopped by the guards who would surely recognize him instantly. The problem became readily apparent as he beheld the body of the commander in chief, the three squabbling officers who stood to inherit his position, their various supporters, and the hapless thirteenth prince.

He didn't care who took over the position after tonight, but he was not about to risk the failure of his assignment just to placate several egos. The spymaster wasted no time mincing words as he brusquely informed them that he was taking over the camp by order of the emperor. This proclamation was met with grudging acceptance; after all, none would dare to go against a royal decree.

Yuwen Yue was about to order them to retire to the commander in chief's former tent when the man himself began to stir on the ground. He looked at the soldiers scornfully until one of them scurried over and stabbed his former commander through an eye. No words were necessary as Yuwen Yue's gaze conveyed his contempt to all gathered that nobody had taken even this most basic precaution.

"We should retire to the commander in chief's tent before there are any more unwelcome distractions," Yuwen Yue said, noting Yuan Song's distressed face.

"As much as I would like to help you, Yuwen Yue, I also have a task from my father to complete," he said timidly. "He ordered me to arrest Yan Xun, but they—I mean, we—were all trying to decide who should remain in charge here and who should go to Yan Xun's courtyard before you arrived."

The spymaster refrained from either sighing or rolling his eyes only by virtue of his lifetime of training. What he wouldn't give to be back at _Qing Shan Yuan_ right now watching Xing'er make his late-night tea. Maybe he'd pretend to think the tea was too hot or too bitter or too weak, causing her eyes to flash and her mouth to utter fake apologies...

"We can do both things at once, Your Highness," Yuwen Yue said after a few moments of thought. "We need to have patrols of every street in _Chang'an_ tonight in case someone dies and comes back. In fact, we could use this latest threat as a cover story so that Yan Xun's spies won't suspect that we're sneaking up on them."

"After all, we're just trying to ensure the safety of the city, right, Yuwen Yue?" Yuan Song asked in the least devious tone Yuwen Yue had ever heard.

"Just so, Your Highness," Yuwen Yue said, eager to do anything other than continue standing around in this tent wasting time.

_Besides, the sooner we leave the camp, the sooner I can be out in the streets searching for Xing'er's sisters. Of course, we're going to start in the eastern part of the city, so the West Gate will be our final destination and they likely didn't stray too far from it. Hopefully I've provided enough cover by acting like I believe Yan Xun to be at his courtyard; what an unfortunate surprise we'll all discover whenever we realize he isn't there anymore._

He remounted his horse as he prepared to ride out again. Yuan Song was looking at him with pathetic gratitude written all over his face. Yuwen Yue genuinely liked the young prince, but the boy's naivete made him a liability in a situation like this.

_Not to mention that he obviously has feelings for Xing'er…_

In spite of—or maybe because of—the dangerous circumstances, Yan Xun's feelings were riding high. He was thankful that Zhong Yu had decided to kill the guards at the West Gate until after Yan Xun had actually made an appearance since killing them early could've led to discovery. Besides, a few scrawny _Wei_ guards on the wall would surely be no more of a match for _Yanbei's_ finest warriors than those inside of the arch had been.

_Okay, so _Yanbei's_ finest warriors usually ride with my father, but Zhong Yu is an incredible fighter, and our men are...loyal. They're very loyal. And motivated. _

He couldn't keep from grinning as he snuck yet another glance of the woman at his side. Although Xing'er had claimed to be unable to leave her sisters behind in _Chang'an_, she was still here. She was still helping him escape. She was still huddled up against the inside of the arch waiting for the final gate to open. Surely she would make the right decision and come with him to _Yanbei_.

_Xing'er and I are the same kind of people, _he mused. _We've both been kept in cages for too long. We're both meant to be free. We're both meant to take on the world together. Yuwen Yue is a good man, but he only thinks he understands Xing'er. I know he cares for her in his own way, but he'll have to get over the disappointment of losing her. Maybe he'll marry Chun'er; after all, both of them will miss one of us terribly._

Yan Xun knew that his feelings were uncharitable, but he was ready to be gone from this cruel, harsh place. _Yanbei_ might be colder in temperature, but the depravity of _Wei_ could freeze even the warmest heart. Since he'd long regarded Chun'er as a sister, he was glad to be free from her flirtatious grasping—especially now that he had a real woman at his side. And Yuwen Yue...well, he knew that the spymaster was too wrapped up in duty and honor to care too much about Xing'er's loss.

"Once the door is open, you and your people should ride for _Yanbei_ as hard as possible," Xing'er whispered suddenly, her voice sounding like a shout in the silence of the night.

"Of course, we'll ride hard, Xing'er," he said winsomely. "After all, the sooner we get to _Yanbei_, the sooner I can introduce you to my parents. I'm sure that you'll love them and that they'll love you—especially Mother."

"Your Highness-"

"I think you can call me Yan Xun now, Xing'er."

"Your Highness, I already told you-"

"Yes, yes, yes; I know. Your sisters. I already told you that you can come back and get them later, Xing'er. After all, who would bother them?"

"How long have you lived in _Wei_?"

"Fair point, Xing'er. However, how much trouble could they get into in a single night or two?"

"Have you forgotten that these are _my_ sisters, Your Highness?"

"That's also a fair point, Xing'er. They're resourceful girls; I'm sure they can survive in _Chang'an_ for a few days without you."

"What if one of those corpses chases after them? Do you really think they could fight one off?"

"They could probably outrun it."

"What if there was more than one? What if there was an entire group?"

"Then they'll probably still be facing less danger in _Chang'an_ than they would on the road with us tonight."

"If your goal is to persuade me to come with you..."

"I thought you'd decided to come with me already. Isn't that what we planned?"

"Before the dead started coming back to life and killing people, yes, that was the plan. But things have changed. My priorities have changed."

"Surely they haven't changed that much, Xing'er. You've always desired freedom and the safety of your sisters above all."

"Yes, I have—which is why I can't leave them in_ Chang'an_ with living and dead predators roaming around. As you pointed out yourself, the road could be just as dangerous tonight, too—also due to the living and the dead."

"Of course the road will be dangerous. Freedom isn't free, after all. You'll have to take some risks in order to gain it, but think of the end result."

Yan Xun didn't like the look on Xing'er's face one bit. Even though her face was shrouded in darkness, he could see enough of it thanks to the full moon to figure that he wasn't going to like what she was going to say. He was dismayed to be proven right.

"Your Highness, in spite of my teasing and stubbornness, I know that you have been generous to me and my sisters. However, I have already been given my freedom. Yue _Gong Zi_ freed me just before we left _Qing Shan Yuan_ tonight."

"Ah...well...that is...I'm happy for you, Xing'er. That was a nice gesture on his part, although he probably figured that he may as well do it since he was going to lose you anyway."

"He said that he didn't have the time or resources to waste on hunting down people who don't want to help _Qing Shan Yuan_ survive this upcoming crisis."

"So he acknowledged his defeat?"

"No, Your Highness," she said with a distinct air of irritation. "He countered all of the offers you were foolish enough to make a few feet away from him."

"Surely you don't think that a document will make you free, Xing'er. Compared to _Yanbei_-"

"But I don't know anything about _Yanbei_, Your Highness," she cut in. "All that I know about _Yanbei_ comes from a man who hasn't lived there since he was a boy. Maybe my life would be great there—or maybe I'd regret never taking the chance to experience living and working at _Qing Shan Yuan_ as a free woman."

"After you find your sisters, you can still come to _Yanbei_," Yan Xun said with a desperate grin as the gate began to creak open.

Xing'er gave him a sad smile.

"I need to find my sisters and talk with them before I can make any decisions. I also need to see how bad this situation with the dead is going to get before I decide to ride anywhere with my sisters on the open road unprotected."

"You would be protected in _Yanbei_, Xing'er."

"Perhaps I would; perhaps I wouldn't. I know what _Qing Shan Yuan_ has to offer in terms of protection, so I'd be foolish to give up that guarantee in exchange for a possibility."

Yan Xun refused to allow himself to cry as he desperately wanted to. He finally accepted that he'd lost the woman he loved—at least for now. Who knew what the future held, after all? His mother would tell him to be brave and to not give up on marrying for love like she did. Soon, Xing'er would discover that she'd made a grievous error; hopefully she would still have the time and means to correct her mistake.

"You will always have a home waiting for you in _Yanbei_, Xing'er—you and your sisters both," he said with a grimace that he hoped could pass for a grin.

"I suppose I should thank you this time since I won't see you again for a while, Your Highness," Xing'er said with a wistful smile.

"I'd rather you didn't thank me, then," Yan Xun said with an air of mischief. "That way, you'd still owe me thanks when we meet again."

Xing'er never got a chance to reply as the gate finally finished swinging open. He mounted his horse in preparation for leading his people out of the tunnel and looked out at the vista before him. A gasp tore from his throat as his new vantage point allowed him to see a roiling mass of humanity boiling out of the woods and into the plains that surrounded the city.

"What do you see, Your-?"

Xing'er's question was cut off by a gasp of her own as the group of men—soldiers?-drew near enough to the city for her to see. They weren't moving particularly fast, but they were progressing steadily. Something was off about their movements, except for several men in front who seemed to be running with extraordinary motivation and purpose.

Moonlight glinted off of metallic helmets, so Yan Xun felt confident in assuming that at least some of these men were _Wei_ soldiers. But who were the others? If only he could make out the uniforms…

His blood ran cold as he finally recognized the style of the majority of the uniforms. He had loved watching his father's soldiers drill on the practice fields of _Yanbei_ as a boy, dreaming of the day when he'd be able to to join them and to take his rightful place at his father's side. Now Yan Xun knew he'd never get the chance as he finally understood why the main group of men was moving so awkwardly and why the three figures in front—probably some of their murderers—were running so hard.

The ground rose up to meet Yan Xun to his great shock; he was vaguely aware of ending up on his knees near the entrance to the gate. Feminine hands tugged at him; feminine voices admonished him to stand up and lead them to victory. His heart shattered in his chest as he felt the naive boy within die. He wondered what he would've become had he been given the opportunity to live, but he knew he'd never get to find out since he'd likely be dead soon. As long as he got revenge on behalf of his father, he'd be able to die with contentment.


	4. Chapter 4

Zhao Shi Feng grumbled discontentedly as he gained consciousness. A servant was rousing him and exhorting him to get dressed and present himself to his father. Given his father's nature, quick obedience was the wisest course of action. The young noble allowed himself to be helped out of bed and dressed in a suitable robe.

The look on the Zhao patriarch's face woke Zhao Shi Feng up more effectively than had the timid urging of his servant. He could tell that something serious had happened and that he was going to be expected to act. After greeting his father properly, he stood before the man and awaited his instructions.

"Much has happened in the few hours you've been asleep, Feng'er," he said. "I don't know all of the details, but _Wei Gui Fei_ was attacked and killed in the palace tonight."

Zhao Shi Feng couldn't keep himself from gasping. Not that he had cared about the woman, but the information was still shocking nevertheless.

"Do they know who did it, Father?"

"That's another unbelievable detail. According to my sources, Princess Yuan Chun's personal servant attacked the princess and then the concubine after she tried to intervene. My sources also say...they claim that the slave girl died before coming back to life and trying to bite everyone she could."

"Surely you don't believe such a thing is possible, Father?" the young noble asked with his typical sneer.

"Normally, I wouldn't, Feng'er, but my source is a trusted veteran who's never given me bad information. Even he was reluctant to impart that description of events, but he says that that is the story that's being spread throughout the palace."

"Well, that is a tragedy, Father, but why-?"

"Why did I drag you out of bed to tell you about the death of a woman who wasn't particularly important to you?"

"Just so, Father, with all due respect."

"I didn't wake you up just to inform you of the concubine's demise, although I did consider that information important. No, I woke you up because the emperor has issued the order to arrest Yan Xun at his courtyard on charges of treason."

Zhao Shi Feng's eyes lit up, all thoughts of sleep forgotten.

"I thought that might interest you, Feng'er. I don't need to tell you how much honor arresting that traitor could bring our family."

"Of course not, Father," Zhao Shi Feng said, clasping his hands and bowing low. "I will do everything in my power to bring him to justice in the name of the Zhao family."

His father dismissed him, and he retreated to his room, where he knew that his slave had already brought his armor. The boy might not be good for much, but he was at least smart enough to know how to stay on Zhao Shi Feng's good side. He smirked in anticipation of a night that would hopefully end in finally getting the better of that smug, savage foreigner.

* * *

Wei Shu You had already been briefed on the concubine's death, of course, since the Wei family was the first one notified outside the palace after the tragic event had occurred. He could tell that his father was distraught, and he couldn't blame the man for mourning the loss of his sister. The two hadn't been close for many years, but they had always respected and assisted one another whenever possible.

The head of the Wei clan, however, knew his duty, and he had not allowed his emotions to get in the way of encouraging his sons to go hunting for Yan Xun when that order had reached their home. Wei Shu You was almost ready to depart, having packed extra specialty bolts for his crossbow. Perhaps one of them would be embedded in Yan Xun's head or heart before the night ended.

_Or maybe I'll bring him in alive and force him to suffer, _he thought with relish as he waited for his weakling of an older brother to get ready. _Perhaps the emperor would even grant me the honor of presiding over his punishment at _Jiu You Tai_._

He took a few moments to relish the thought of humiliating his long-time rival in such a way, luxuriating in the thought of wiping that smarmy smile off the so-called prince's face. Maybe he'd also be allowed to kill some of Yan Xun's family and then present their dead bodies to him as a present.

His musings were interrupted by the arrival of his older brother—at least in body. Wei Shu You could tell that his brother didn't care at all about the emperor's order to arrest Yan Xun; all he could think about was the mental state of the beautiful but insipid Princess Yuan Chun. He sneered at Wei Shu Ye, but his brother didn't notice.

_Let the fool moon after a girl who believes herself to be in love with the traitor we're supposed to be arresting, _he thought with a smirk. _As always, _I'll_ be the one to make the Wei clan proud. _I'll_ be the one to win the battle and bring our family honor. _

"You should be happy, _Ge Ge. _After all, once we get rid of Yan Xun, the princess's affections will be free to settle on another," he said with a suggestive fluttering of his eyelashes. "Maybe you'll have a chance, then."

Wei Shu Ye merely glared at him, but Wei Shu You didn't mind. After all, he could tell that his verbal bolts had hit their targets, and that was all that mattered to him.

"Shall we go?" he asked his brother with an exaggerated courtly air.

His teeth were bared in a fierce grin as he made his way to the stable. One way or another, this was going to be a night to remember.

* * *

While Chu Qiao was relieved that Yan Xun had regained his feet, she knew that only an excellent argument would stop the prince from running headlong into the jaws of death. The mass of dead and living figures had staggered close enough for those hiding in the shadows of the arch to not only confirm the identities of the armies but also of the men in the lead.

Yuwen Huai was the armor-clad figure barely managing to keep ahead of the pursuing dead, and two Wei soldiers rounded out the trio. Unfortunately for Yan Xun's frame of mind, the head dead figure somehow managing to lead the pursuing pack of _Wei_ and _Yanbei_ corpses was Yan Shicheng.

The multiple emotions playing on Yan Xun's face made Chu Qiao want to kill Yuwen Huai with her bare hands—or her small crossbow-but she knew that such a response would be irresponsible and potentially disastrous for all of them. She had decided to help Yan Xun escape since she had no way of helping her sisters at the moment, but her assistance of the prince did not signal a change of mind.

"You need to leave now, Your Highness," Chu Qiao said once again. "You're on Ji Feng, but your people are going to be running behind you. You're going to need every bit of time to escape."

"Which is why we should kill those three men: to keep them from telling anyone we've escaped," Yan Xun said bitterly. "And because I want to kill the men who murdered my father."

"So do I, Your Highness," Chu Qiao said, allowing her own anger and sadness to show on her face. "Doing so would cause multiple problems, however."

"Would these problems outweigh the satisfaction we'd gain by killing him?"

"Yes. First, if you tried to kill him with your swords, you'd likely be torn apart by the dead coming fast right behind them. You don't have a way to shoot them-"

"I have darts," Zhong Yu interrupted. "They could knock him out quickly and leave him to a fitting end."

"That leads me to another point," Chu Qiao said, amazed that she was actually managing to see the big picture so successfully. Yuwen Yue would be proud. "If you kill Yuwen Huai, then your pursuers are going to come after you harder and quicker."

"As if they're not going to do that anyway," Yan Xun scoffed.

"Yes, they will—eventually. I've been forming a plan that might be able to buy you some time to escape—especially if you leave soon."

"But nobody would see-"

"Do you really think that nobody on the walls of _Chang'an_ has seen this large group of lurching, growling soldiers approaching the city over the flat, empty plains before it? I'm surprised they're not beating the door down right now. I wonder if something else has happened..."

Her mind wandered briefly to Yuwen Yue, but she dismissed those thoughts. She needed to focus on the here and now if she was going to save them—and herself.

"Who cares if something has happened in _Chang'an_? I know I don't," Yan Xun said. "And if you were to find a way to kill Yuwen Huai, Xing'er, nobody would be able to touch you in _Yanbei_. Nobody would come after you for killing Yuwen Huai—or Yuwen Xi."

Chu Qiao sighed. "I already told you that I can't leave without my sisters, Your Highness. They are my responsibility just as your people—here and in _Yanbei_—are yours. Your focus needs to be on protecting them now. Get these people home. Tell the people of _Yanbei_ everything that's happened here. Prepare your cities, towns, and villages for this...plague or curse or whatever it is. Go home, Your Highness."

"So now you're trying to order me around, Xing'er?" Yan Xun said with the ghost of a grin. "Your freedom has already gone to your head."

"Yue _Gong Zi_ thinks this situation is going to get worse," she said, ignoring the feeble joke.

"The one with the living or the one with the dead?"

"Both. He's read reports that the dead are walking almost everywhere and that the places where this started...their governments are collapsing. Their civilizations are dying. The only blood that matters is that which pumps through the veins of those who can survive. You can do that for your people, Your Highness. You can make sure they survive."

"Like you're going to do, Xing'er?"

"Yes. My sisters and I are going to survive at _Qing Shan Yuan_."

"With Yuwen Yue."

"Yes."

"Which is why you don't want to have Yuwen Huai die on the same night as his grandfather—especially in locations where you were spotted nearby."

"And because I'm going to use Yuwen Huai's credibility to shore up my version of events of what happened here. He might die yet, of course; after all, the two of us might not be able to heroically defend the city of_ Chang'an_ from the hordes of the dead until help arrives."

The grim grin that spread slowly across Yan Xun's face made Chu Qiao's blood run cold. She'd never seen its like, and she hoped to never do so again. The cold expression looked out of place on the prince's face, yet she couldn't blame him for its presence. She could, however, somehow feel the rightness of her choice in her bones.

"You will always be welcome in _Yanbei_, Xing'er," Yan Xun finally said. "I wish you well in your scheme and will appreciate any time you can buy us."

"I will do my best, Your Highness—now and when I am able to take true vengeance on Yuwen Huai," she said, grasping _Can Hong Jian_ and bowing.

"What is your true name, Xing'er?" Yan Xun asked suddenly.

"What?"

"You told me that you would tell me your true name only when you didn't have to bow before me. You're free now, so you can tell me your true name. Who are you, really?"

The answer came to her so quickly she understood that her mind must have been made up on some level much earlier than this moment. She looked him in the eye and gave her answer firmly.

"My true name is Xing'er."

The prince's face fell and then tightened, but she didn't regret the straightforwardness of her answer. The living and the dead were almost at the gates, and Xing'er didn't want to risk her plan falling apart. She was glad she'd had the sense to stand in the shadow of the arch and hoped she hadn't been spotted by Yuwen Huai. Her mind had already turned to the future, and she hoped Yan Xun's would do the same.

"Goodbye, Xing'er—and good luck," Yan Xun said, giving her one final grimace of a grin.

"Likewise, Your Highness, Miss Yu."

And then they were gone, Yan Xun spurring his horse onward and leading his people out of the darkness and into the moonlight. Xing'er remained in the shadow of the arch until they were all gone, and then she started to rearrange the bodies of the _Wei_ guards to her satisfaction. Perhaps she could convince the _Wei_ authorities that the soldiers had died heroically defending _Chang'an_. If not, hopefully, they wouldn't be able to pin the crime on her. After all, she wanted to live in this area for the rest of her life, and she knew she needed to stay out of trouble—at least until everyone realized they had bigger problems to solve.

* * *

Yuwen Huai had been furious at the sight of Yan Xun and his band of traitors escaping right in front of him. If he'd had the breath to spare, he would've yelled something scathing and witty at the retreating figure of the hostage prince. He'd hated Yan Xun since boyhood, after all, so a suitable goodbye would've been appropriate.

As much as he loathed to admit the truth, he had to confess to himself that Yan Xun's actions were a blessing in disguise. After all, could he know for sure that the West Gate would've been opened in time had Yan Xun and his cohorts not done so? Of course, they had likely done so through nefarious means, but all that mattered to Yuwen Huai was that he stood a better chance of surviving this night due to their timely escape.

He was pleasantly surprised that the two _Wei_ soldiers had managed to stay with him. Although they would've provided a nice distraction to some of the corpses, they would also serve to back up his story about what happened during his fight with the _Yanbei_ soldiers. Granted, _Chang'an_ would soon get to see some of the evidence up close and personal, but having accounts that aligned with one's own never hurt.

Part of him felt relief upon passing through the outside gate of_ Chang'an_, but he wouldn't feel truly safe until at least one closed gate was between him and those things. In fact, he was already bawling at anyone near the gate to close it even while he and his companions straggled through the opening into _Chang'an _itself.

To his dismay and horror, no response at all met his ears. No yells of affirmation or acknowledgment. No grating doors. No heavy, hollow bang as they closed against the threat that was already at the first gate.

The only respondent to his cry was one of the last people in the world he wanted to see—at that moment or ever. In his hour of need, who else would the Heavens send to assist him but that evil, nasty maid, Xing'er? Even Yuwen Yue would've been preferable—albeit only barely. He vowed to say as little to her as possible.

She had ridden quickly around the outside of a restaurant and had come from one of _Chang'an's _streets. Her eyes widened as she saw him, his men, and the guests he'd brought to _Chang'an_, but she didn't show any fear.

"Don't let them in, Huai _Gong Zi_! We'll fight them together! We have to protect the people of _Chang'an_!"

Yuwen Huai didn't care about the people of _Chang'an_, but he did care about his reputation—and the honor and power he could gain by defending the city. He also knew that failing to do so would not enhance his reputation-although losing might be worthwhile if Xing'er died in the process. A wry grin twisted his lips as he thought about the irony of fighting side by side with Xing'er to save _Chang'an_. Somehow he doubted she wanted to be here with him any more than he wanted to be here with her.

Xing'er jumped off of her horse, told it to go find its master, and then slapped its rump. Her only means of escape needed no further prodding as it got a whiff of the corpses that were now beginning to reach the inner gate. They grasped at him greedily, Yan Shicheng's corpse seeming to be the most enthusiastic of all. Yuwen Huai knew that such thoughts were likely nonsense, but he couldn't shake the feeling that his dead enemy wanted to add him to his ranks as soon as possible.

"I take it your master plan is to bottleneck the dead in the archway and take them down as they come?"

"Actually, Huai _Gong Zi_, I thought we should let them come into _Chang'an_, give them a head start, and hunt them down. That would be much more entertaining—for you at least. I know how much you enjoy that sort of thing."

"Almost as much as you enjoy causing death and destruction yourself, Xing'er."

"Your servant, Xing'er, is flattered that Huai _Gong Zi_ would compare herself to him in such a manner."

Yuwen Huai wanted to strangle the life out of that fragile-seeming throat as he watched the light fade from those unnaturally large, bright eyes. He settled for lopping off Yan Shicheng's head instead. The look of distaste on Xing'er's face brightened his mood considerably. Did she know who he'd just rekilled or was she simply responding to his obvious enjoyment of the task? He set that thought and many others aside as he got down to the killing.

Xing'er started wielding that cursed blade Yuwen Yue had given her, and Yuwen Huai's blood boiled a little more. What right did a bedchamber maid have to carry the matching sword of _Po Yue Jian_? Both swords should be his anyway; they would, once he managed to kill Yuwen Yue and take over the Eyes of God for good.

To his irritation, Xing'er didn't seem to be nearly as aware of his presence as he was of hers. She fought these large, well-armored men with practiced ease, as if...But where would she have fought any similar things before? Had something happened in _Chang'an_ earlier tonight? Perhaps there was a reason that nobody in_ Chang'an_ had yet noticed the loud, bloody fight going on at the West Gate.

His distraction almost cost him his life as a _Wei_ soldier lurched in and grabbed his arm. Yuwen Huai managed to jam the side of his sword against the soldier's throat, but the man's own armor continued to protect him even in death. He shoved off, stepped back, and stabbed the man in his eye. Another corpse replaced him in the gate, and Yuwen Huai returned his attention to the task at hand. He would not give Xing'er the satisfaction of seeing him die courtesy of his own stupidity.

A pile of corpses began to mount as the four of them put down the dead at the mouth of the gate. Maneuvering got tricky as they had to step around the bodies, but they were all experienced fighters who were no strangers to death. That didn't prevent him from stumbling a time or two, however, and causing Xing'er to smirk at him. Oh, how he hated the girl. Did Yuwen Yue love her just because he knew how much Yuwen Huai hated her?

Xing'er stumbled backwards, causing Yuwen Huai to smirk at her. He noticed with a start that all four of them had backed up in reaction to the body pileup. The dead kept coming, streaming through the gate's opening as if it were a portal to the underworld itself. Fighting an eternal horde of corpses with Xing'er at his side sounded like a god's cruel afterlife trick. He thought he would almost rather be actually dead than suffering such a fate.

The corpses were relentless, and Yuwen Huai's strength was flagging. One of his _Wei_ soldiers went down with a cry that was suddenly cut off, and he felt a moment of sadness. Not that he truly cared about the man's life, but no one should have to die after experiencing a nightmare like this. Besides, now there were only three of them trying to contain the relentless, moaning herd of corpses advancing on them. They'd already put down many, but they never seemed to make a dent in the dead. How much longer could they last?

Xing'er was dispatching these corpses with almost mechanical precision. He could almost imagine her as a finely-crafted tool assembled by his brother to move just so. Yuwen Huai wished the metaphor was less apt. She had, in a way, been made by his cousin, and he knew that the man wanted nothing more than to continue teaching her in more ways than one.

_Does she really warm his bed? h_e absurdly found himself wondering as he stabbed up under the chin of a dead _Yanbei_ soldier whose throat had already been cut once in battle. _My spies tell me that she sleeps in the silver bell quarters with her sisters, but they do spend a lot of time alone together. Yet there's something about the longing looks he gives her that convinces me that, for some inexplicable reason, he hasn't yet taken what he so obviously wants. I almost wish I could do so just to deny him the experience._

As if sensing his perverted thoughts, several _Yanbei_ soldiers grabbed hold of him at once. Their embrace was not nearly as pleasurable as a willing woman's would've been—or an unwilling one, for that matter. Instead, he was the unwilling one; that was a change in perspective he didn't relish. He was immensely thankful for his armor, but he understood that if he went down, he'd never get back up. His face was unprotected, and he was certain they'd be able to pull off at least some of the armor with effort. No, he had to remain on his feet no matter what.

Planting said feet, he lopped off first one head and then another. He tripped as he aimed for the third, however, merely skimming his blade along its throat. It dribbled a small amount of blood that oozed rather than flowed. For some reason, that little detail scared him more than anything that had happened yet due to its sheer unnaturalness. The dead rising could be attributed to a _Liang_ trick or a divine act, but blood that didn't flow from a slit throat…

The moment passed as he continued to fall backwards in slow motion. How could he defeat a weaponless enemy whose arsenal consisted largely of strength in numbers, single-minded persistence, and mindless destruction? Of course, Xing'er would likely make that obscenely irritating face and say that those terms described _Wei's_ military, and he would desire to strangle her all over again. Did he ever really stop wanting to strangle her?

His desire to kill her increased as she effortlessly lopped off the head of the soldier that had borne him to the ground. She pulled him up without ceremony and shoved him back towards the fight with more vigor than necessary. Her small smile may as well have been one of Yan Xun's large grins for all the smugness it portrayed.

At that point, Yuwen Huai finally cracked. He didn't care if killing Xing'er led to the destruction of _Chang'an_. He didn't care if the last remaining _Wei_ soldier under his command got torn apart. He didn't even care if he himself lost his life. He was going to kill that nasty maid. No, he wasn't going to kill her. He was merely going to incapacitate her so she could die horribly at the hands and teeth of these inhuman things they were fighting.

Yuwen Huai waited until just the right moment, staggering towards Xing'er as if he had tripped on a corpse. That didn't require much acting as there were, in fact, bodies all over the ground where they were fighting. How they had remained upright this long was anybody's guess. All he cared about was that Xing'er would not manage to stay on her feet. Nothing else mattered in all the world.

Inexplicably, Xing'er dodged his clumsy stumble and allowed him to fall face-first at the feet of the ravening horde. He felt several of those things grab his hair, his armor, his sword, and everything else they could reach. Then they were gone as he was yanked backwards just before one of the _Yanbei_ corpses could sink its teeth into Yuwen Huai's neck.

"You need to be more careful, Huai _Gong Zi_," Xing'er said with fake sincerity. "I would hate to have to tell Yue _Gong Zi_ that I witnessed your death."

The next several corpses lost their heads with unusually savage strokes. Yuwen Huai was beginning to lose his own head as reality set in. All three of them were losing ground horribly, and corpses were starting to slide beyond them and into the city—or into an ideal position to attack them from behind. Death was imminent, and his stabs and slashes and jabs weren't going to be able to put down all of the men he'd had a part in killing one way or another. All he wanted was to see Xing'er's death; then he could die a happy man.

As if the Heavens had heard his plea, a dead _Wei_ soldier staggered forward and grabbed _Can Hong Jian's_ blade in a monstrously large hand. Xing'er tried to free it, but the time she lost in doing so allowed a handful of bodies to surround her on all sides. The large soldier bore her down, and greedy, bloody hands tore at her robes.

She opened her robes herself as she reached in and pulled out a small crossbow. He couldn't believe that she hadn't thought to use it before now, but who could understand the mind of such a wretch? Xing'er shot once, twice, and thrice, felling each corpse with a bolt through the eye. They fell on top of her, however, pinning her in place.

Yuwen Huai continued furiously fighting, already mentally practicing his speech to Yuwen Yue. He would talk about how hard he had worked to keep himself focused enough to try to save the innocents of_ Chang'an_. How much he'd wanted to come to Xing'er's aid. How horrible her dying screams had been. How terrible he'd found the sight of her torn and mangled body.

The thought of getting to deliver such a speech gave Yuwen Huai a burst of strength to keep fighting on. Oh, how he would relish getting to break Yuwen Yue's heart in such a socially-acceptable way. Maybe he'd even get to do it in public. Maybe he'd get to humiliate his so-called brother as he exposed the man's feelings for an insignificant bedchamber maid.

As three more bodies fell on top of Xing'er with bolts in their eyes, Yuwen Huai knew that the end was near. Hoofbeats and masculine yells sounded behind him, and a nasty smile twisted his face. The soldiers would be just in time to see his heroic defense of _Chang'an_ against overwhelming odds, and they would also arrive just in time to witness Xing'er's demise—about which he could obviously do nothing.

Nothing could spoil Yuwen Huai's mood. Absolutely nothing. Yuwen Yue's hoarse yelling of Xing'er's name—did he even pronounce it as two syllables?-was sweet music in his ears. His cousin would get to witness the death of his beloved first-hand, and then he'd surely be easy to dispose of in the days to come due to his devastation and grief. Despite how this night had gone so far, Yuwen Huai felt that his life was looking up.


	5. Chapter 5

Yuwen Yue had always been able to reach Xing'er just in time regardless of what trouble she'd managed to find. This ability was an intrinsic part of their relationship that he'd never bothered to question. It simply _was_, and he took advantage of that fact as he lopped off the heads of several _Yanbei_ soldiers who were closing in on Xing'er's location.

Of course, she was buried under several dead corpses, so she was probably relatively safe for the moment. At the sound of his voice, she had tucked her arms and head under the mound of corpses, clearly understanding his intent. She obviously trusted him to clear an area around her and pull her free when possible; this sign of trust warmed his already-burning heart.

The sight of Xing'er and Yuwen Huai of all people fiercely defending the West Gate against the dead had been unexpected. When Yuwen Yue and his men had received word from a lookout on the wall of trouble at the West Gate, he'd assumed that, perhaps, a herd of the dead had decided to make a run at the city. He'd hoped that Yan Xun and his people had gotten away but had been nervous to see if Xing'er had left with them.

As much as her vulnerable position on the ground had scared him, the fact that she had not left with Yan Xun and that she had stayed with him instead had caused Yuwen Yue to fly to her side in record time. The sour yet grudgingly relieved look on Yuwen Huai's face was an exquisite bonus. He suspected that his cousin had been hoping to watch Xing'er die, but now had to look forward to witnessing his rescue of her instead.

The fight was over in quick order; the _Wei_ soldiers who had ridden with him to the West Gate had no problem putting down the few remaining corpses. As soon as they had the last few corpses contained, Yuwen Yue started pulling bodies off of Xing'er. His eyes stayed fixed on the hilt of _Can Hong Jian_, which was resting near where Xing'er's hand had been. She helped him shift the last of the bodies off of her before springing to her feet as if she hadn't been buried under hundreds of pounds of dead meat and bloody leather. He saw no evidence of bites, and she wasn't acting as if she'd been bitten.

To Yuwen Yue's surprise, the urge to spirit her away, strip her naked, and inspect her thoroughly for bite marks was almost overwhelming. A snide voice in his head said dryly that his desires were anything but surprising, but Yuwen Yue knew that these urges had more to do with feelings of protection and care than attraction and lust. Not that those elements weren't present; he'd been forced to admit to their existence months ago. Still, he found himself wanting to care for her the way a man should desire to care for his wife after she'd been through an ordeal.

Reality, of course, dictated that riding hard for _Qing Shan Yuan_ with Xing'er wrapped in his arms was not an option. Instead, they were likely going to spend an unpleasant hour or two discussing this latest unpleasant situation with a variety of unpleasant people. Xing'er seemed to have reached the same conclusion and was looking up at him with an understanding scowl on her face.

"Are you scowling at me, Xing'er? If you're upset about me rescuing you again, I can bury you under some of those corpses again if you want."

"That might be preferable to dealing with Yuwen Huai," Xing'er said with an even fiercer scowl.

"I must admit, I am quite surprised to see him still alive given the circumstances."

"Letting him live was a regrettable necessity. Given that he's walking this way, I should probably wait to tell you my reasons for not killing him."

"Has my little Xing'er finally learned discretion?"

He smirked inwardly in satisfaction as he managed to get the last word in before Yuwen Huai walked up to them. His battered, bedraggled cousin looked much the worse for wear. Yuwen Yue was thankful for Yuwen Huai's obvious fatigue since it was likely responsible for the man's relative silence. He caught a look of mischief on Xing'er's face that was quickly replaced with studied innocence, and he mentally braced himself for the execution of whatever plan his beloved had likely crafted on the fly. Her opening salvo did not disappoint, and he decided to stand back and enjoy the show.

"Greetings, Huai _Gong Zi_," Xing'er said with a clasp and a bow. "Xing'er requires no thanks for saving Huai _Gong Zi's_ life; his health and happiness are all the compensation she needs."

"What?! Saved my…?! What are you talking about, you nasty maid?"

"Did I not just save your life several times, Huai _Gong Zi_? Would you really have been able to fight off all of those corpses without my help?"

"Of course, I would've, Xing'er! In fact, my role in the battle was much greater than yours! You even ended up on the ground!"

Zhao Shi Feng and the Wei brothers chose that moment to dramatically ride up on their well-bred horses and dressed in their fine armor, setting Xing'er's trap even more securely. She knew that Yuwen Huai would not be able to pass up the opportunity to brag about his accomplishments to his peers, so she continued to goad him to tell the story of the battle from his highly-biased perspective. Somehow, the two of them ended up in the center of a circle surrounded by the nobles and soldiers as Yuwen Huai told a story that obviously painted him in a better light than Xing'er. Her indignation seemed genuine, but her desire to prolong the conversation as long as possible was also obvious—at least to Yuwen Yue.

_Why, exactly, would she want to stall for time? _he mused in amusement as he watched her draw Yuwen Huai into an intense discussion about her role in his regaining his feet after falling to the ground. _Could she be trying to buy time for a certain prince to get as far down the road to _Yanbei_ as possible before being pursued?_

The spymaster noted that Xing'er had glossed over any circumstances surrounding the initial opening of the gate or the fates of its guards, lending credence to his suspicions. His woman held some of the most powerful young men of _Wei_ captive with her words and manipulative ability, and he couldn't have been prouder. The desire to check her carefully for bite marks in the privacy of his rooms intensified.

"You never explained what you were doing here, Xing'er," Yuwen Huai said with a sneer, bringing Yuwen Yue's attention back to the conversation.

"I was looking for my sisters, of course."

"Your sisters? What were your sisters doing here so late at night?"

"Eating supper at that restaurant over there," she said, gesturing towards the deserted dining area in which Yuwen Yue had conversed with her what felt like ages ago. "I had originally planned to go as well, but I was being punished for damaging _Can Hong Jian_ in a training accident earlier today."

"Are you sure that's all you were being punished for, Xing'er? Surely you're guilty of something else."

Xing'er's guilty expression came to her all too naturally, but it succeeded in diverting Yuwen Huai's attention away from another potentially dangerous topic. He wasted several more minutes trying to get her to confess to the real reason for her punishment, which Xing'er finally divulged had been slipping a laxative in Zhu Shun's drink. As Yuwen Huai spent several more minutes haranguing Xing'er, Yuwen Yue internally chuckled at the thought that the obnoxious toady was too dead to contradict Xing'er's claim.

Yuan Song seemed to find Xing'er's detailed descriptions of what Zhu Shun had likely suffered earlier in the day to be particularly funny. The young prince was grinning fully at Xing'er in a way that caused Yuwen Yue's eyes to tighten. He knew that, unlike Yan Xun, Yuan Song wasn't actually a threat to take Xing'er away from him, but he still didn't like any man looking at his Xing'er in that manner.

"Zhu Shun had better be well by tomorrow or I'll make the meager punishment Yuwen Yue gave you look like pleasure in comparison."

Watching Xing'er give Yuwen Huai a look of fake sympathy was way more enjoyable to Yuwen Yue than it should've been. He tensed for what was coming, however, as he knew that this was yet another topic that could spell disaster for her. There was also the question of whether or not she would risk mentioning Yan Xun's presence at _Hong Shan Yuan_.

"Your servant, Xing'er, is sorry, Huai _Gong Zi_, but there's been a terrible, tragic incident at _Hong Shan Yuan_ tonight."

"What do you mean, Xing'er? What did you do?"

"What did _I_ do? _I_ spent a decent amount of time helping Yue _Gong Zi_ and our guards put down the assortment of maids and guards that had come back to life and laid waste to _Hong Shan Yuan_."

"What?! _Hong Shan Yuan_ is-?! What did you do, you nasty maid?! This is your fault somehow."

"You're right."

Even Yuwen Yue's eyes widened slightly at her confession.

"I knew it! I'll have you thrown into the jail for slaves for this. I'll finally have my vengeance now that you've confessed."

"Yes, the destruction of _Hong Shan Yuan_ was definitely my fault. I forced your grandfather to brutalize and murder those slave girls. I made them come back to life and kill all of those guards and maids. I even made one of those corpses rip off Master Xi's head and carry it away. Xing'er was wrong, and Xing'er will accept whatever punishment Huai _Gong Zi_ decides to give her."

The scornful laughter of the nobles and soldiers added to the towering rage building within Yuwen Huai. After all, Yuwen Xi's twisted pleasures were an open secret, and all who had seen the rekilled corpses, talked to the soldiers who had put down more individual bodies in the city, and heard the palace rumors of Wei _Gui Fei's_ fate could well believe Xing'er's version of events.

"How do you know exactly what happened, Xing'er? You know a suspiciously large amount of information about the details."

Xing'er's eyes widened again before she said, "Yue _Gong Zi_ has been teaching me to be more observant. I merely used logic to deduce the chain of events—and talked to Yue _Gong Zi_ afterwards, of course. Some of the bodies we killed were young, female, and dressed in filmy, gauzy robes. These were largely unmarked except for some slashes and stabs—presumably from the guards who tried to put them down. The guards had more wounds on them, which would make sense if they were attacked by the dead slaves. And then there were other maids and male servants dressed in everyday garb, meaning that they were likely attacked outside of _Ji Le Ge_."

"And my grandfather's head? How do you explain that?"

"Explain what?"

"How one of those...those...things managed to rip his head off! They seem more interested in the living than the dead, so why would they rip off a dead man's head?"

"I hadn't thought of that," Xing'er said, her eyes widening in concern. "That means they must have ripped his head off while he was still alive. How terrible!"

Yuwen Huai was speechless with rage. He cut an intimidating figure in his quality but battered and bloody armor, well-used sword, and glowering visage. Xing'er, of course, showed no evidence of intimidation.

"And just think," she continued in a contemplative tone after a few moments of awkward silence. "Had I not given Zhu Shun that laxative, then Yue _Gong Zi_ wouldn't have punished me and I wouldn't have been available to help. I wouldn't have been looking for my sisters in _Chang'an_, and I wouldn't have been able to save your life and help protect _Chang'an_. Even our mistakes can sometimes lead to good fortune. Of course, they can also sometimes lead to death, as your grandfather found out."

"Have you found your sisters, Xing'er?" Yuan Song asked.

Yuwen Yue mentally sighed as Xing'er acknowledged she had not, figuring that this topic could possibly lead to Yan Xun's name finally coming up. Of course, he knew that the inevitable couldn't be delayed much longer; in fact, he was shocked that nobody had mentioned him yet—especially Yuwen Huai given the circumstances. Yuan Song, of course, would be content to discuss anything else until dawn.

The other nobles...well...Yuwen Yue sincerely doubted that they were dressed for battle and leading soldiers just because they wanted to appreciate the bright moonlight. They all seemed to be growing rather restive as if they knew they should be doing something important but didn't want to miss any of the entertainment playing out before them.

"...we've been given a task by the emperor and we really need to be on our way," Wei Shu You said arrogantly, drawing Yuwen Yue's mind back to the conversation.

"So you received the same orders as the house of Zhao?" Zhao Shi Feng said pompously.

"I'm assuming you're referring to the arrest and detainment of the traitor hostage prince," Wei Shu You responded with a sneer.

"Of course. We need to set out after Yan Xun as soon as-"

"Prince Yan Xun?" Xing'er blurted with innocent confusion. "Do you know where he is? I wondered why he hadn't come back yet."

Yuwen Yue braced himself for the inevitable explosion. It didn't disappoint. Xing'er gave them time to ask their questions and hurl their recriminations before replying.

"His Highness was also in _Chang'an_. He offered to help me look for my sisters. He knows what they look like, after all, and understands how important siblings are to one another. In fact, he told me a touching story about a time when he and his older brother-"

"Where did he go, Xing'er?" Yuwen Huai said, rudely cutting her off.

"He went down that street over there," Xing'er said, pointing down the one closest to the West Gate. "He told me that he would ride down that street while I rode down this one. I had almost finished searching my street when I heard you yell for someone to open the gate—and then I heard those things, and I knew...well, you know the rest."

"Know the rest? Of course, we don't know the rest! Where did Yan Xun go? When did he leave? How many people were with him? Are they going straight to _Yanbei_ or are they holed up somewhere? We've been wasting all this time and he's been getting away!"

"I wondered why he hadn't returned yet, but I got so wrapped up in fighting those corpses, and then I had to talk to Yue _Gong Zi_, and then we had to tell your friends about the times I saved your life, and then I had to give you the distressing news about your grandfather, and then-"

"Enough!" Yuwen Huai yelled. "You're probably in on this with Yan Xun! What did he promise you, you nasty maid—or what did he already give you? Did he promise to make you a princess of _Yanbei_ or did you already give him-"

"What's going on here?" a masculine voice asked from the edge of the circle.

Heads turned towards the voice and startled soldiers parted instantly and made all the greetings due to the Seventh Prince. All of the nobles fidgeted, none of them wanting to get on the bad side of a man who was known for his no-nonsense demeanor and refusal to engage in petty politicking.

"We're learning important information about multiple threats to _Wei's_ security, _Ge Ge_," Yuan Song finally said into the silence. "Yuwen Huai and Xing'er have just fought a great battle together to protect _Chang'an_ from...I take it you know about the living corpses?"

"I just came from the palace. My orders are to-"

"Arrest Yan Xun and bring him back to _Wei_?"

"And to make sure that everyone else who has been given those orders is following them properly."

His pointed statement prodded everyone into action. The nobles led their troops through the West Gate, carefully maneuvering around the mounds of corpses. Yuwen Yue was amused to see Yuwen Huai commandeer a soldier's horse and ride out with Zhao Shi Feng. He wasn't surprised at his cousin's desire to put off tending to what was now his courtyard when he could be out hunting for blood.

Yuwen Yue's own desire to return to _Qing Shan Yuan_ with his beloved intensified once again. He looked at Xing'er, who was confidently but respectfully talking with Prince Xiang. The royal didn't seem to know what to make of Xing'er, but he recognized a valuable source of information when he saw one.

Pride swelled within Yuwen Yue as he realized that all of his months of teachings had come together tonight in an amazing way. His woman had put on a command performance tonight, confirming for him once and for all that she was the only one he'd ever even consider marrying. The two of them would at least rule _Qing Shan Yuan_ together—and maybe more once the dust, ashes, and dead had settled.

Xing'er was strong. Xing'er was beautiful. Xing'er was cunning. Xing'er was smart. Xing'er was magnificent. Xing'er was his—or at least she would be in the near future once she came to understand her feelings. Yuwen Yue vowed to himself once again to do his best to be a bit more open, honest, and expressive with Xing'er. After all, he'd almost lost her at least three times tonight, and each potential separation had served to remind him that the loss of a little pride was a small price to pay in order to have a woman like Xing'er at his side.

Yuwen Yue walked up to the Seventh Prince and made his appropriate greetings. The two of them conversed superficially; he established that Xing'er was, indeed, his slave. She didn't flinch at that assertion, so he knew that she was still maintaining their ruse because she'd finally realized the level of protection being his slave gave her—and the level of danger she'd be exposed to were she to tell the truth. No, they'd tell a select few, but he knew that she'd likely want to wait until the point when status didn't matter anymore to tell the truth—if she ever even decided to bother by then.

_She might want to let the world know that she's choosing to marry me as a free woman rather than a slave, _he thought to himself before scolding himself mentally. _Not that she's ready to receive a proposal yet. We're nowhere near that point. But she didn't leave me. She seems to trust me. She doesn't hate me anymore, which is progress from earlier tonight. The angry, hurt look I saw in her eyes on that tower in _Hong Shan Yuan_…_

The end of his conversation with the Seventh Prince brought him back to the present—and Xing'er. His talk with Prince Xiang hadn't taken much mental power, so he'd been able to think about more important matters. He'd at least been able to give the prince an accurate description of the events of that night—accurate, of course, according to his and Xing'er's plan. While nobles and royals might poke holes in their story later, for tonight, their version of events was the one being believed.

_My beloved is alive, safe, and not on the road to _Yanbei_. Her sisters are hopefully alive somewhere and will be found by morning. Yuwen Huai is still alive, but he's been forced to validate Xing'er's story at every turn—or has, at least, been made to appear foolish whenever he's tried to rebut it. We'll return to _Qing Shan Yuan_ in the morning and will begin our lives together. I'll gradually show her how much I love her; she'll soon realize she loves me, too. Then we'll get married…_

Pleasant images filled his head as he mounted his horse and began to ride back towards the street she'd supposedly just searched for her sisters. Xing'er had jumped into her own saddle as well and had ridden up beside him without a second's hesitation. She seemed completely at peace as she rode by his side and looked down the empty street once again. In spite of the troubles facing them, the future seemed brighter to Yuwen Yue than it had in a long time—if ever.

* * *

As Xing'er scanned the right side of the street for any sign of her sisters, she felt an unnerving sense of contentment as she rode beside the man looking at the left side of the street. She'd expected to feel overwhelming anxiety about the possibility that she'd just made a disastrously bad choice by not running away to _Yanbei_. She'd anticipated a night full of self-recrimination and doubt about her impulsive decision to listen to Yuwen Yue rather than Yan Xun. She'd braced herself for internal chiding and mental excoriation.

And yet, she felt none of those things. She knew she should be worried about Yuwen Yue's motivations and intentions. She knew that the freedom he'd given her might be a sham. She knew that she might one day look back on this wild night and repent of her hasty but instinctual decisions.

But today was not that day. As she looked out of the corner of her eye at the man riding beside her, all she felt was peace and rightness. Whatever feelings she did or did not have for her now-former master, she knew her place was at his side. Just like the _Cangwu_ parrot, she'd realized that she belonged with Yuwen Yue even after being granted her freedom.

Even though she knew herself to be imagining things, the document for the freeing of slaves tucked away in her robes seemed to be generating a heat of its own. The reality of her freedom had finally begun to set in, and she realized that she didn't care who else knew about her change of status. In fact, the instinct she'd felt earlier to conceal her freedom from others in order to maintain Yuwen Yue's protection was even stronger. While being a poor, low-status freewoman made Xing'er feel good inside, it didn't help to keep her safe from those who would not want to tangle with Yuwen Yue over his silver bell.

A noise in the shadows drew her attention, but it was just a rat scurrying down an alley. No lurching corpse followed it, but no sign of her sisters presented itself, either. She sighed and spurred her horse forward again, looking over at Yuwen Yue. His eyes met hers briefly, and she could see evidence of the same odd peace she'd found mirrored back in his gaze.

Facing forward again, she resumed her search. They'd proceeded in silence, Yuwen Yue obviously figuring that she needed time to catch her breath. He always seemed to know what she needed, even if he rarely felt comfortable giving it to her in a direct way. In spite of the times Yan Xun had saved her, she felt that he didn't understand her nearly as well as Yuwen Yue seemed to—especially in light of her most recent interactions with both men.

While trying to convince her to escape with him, Yan Xun had continually appealed to her emotional side. Yuwen Yue, on the other hand, had given her solid, rational reasons to remain at _Qing Shan Yuan_. He had referenced her emotions in regards to her sisters and their well-being and had granted her the freedom he'd realized she'd been poised to take anyway; he had largely, however, given her the information she needed to make the most responsible decision.

_Would my choice have been so easy had my sisters already been at my side? __s_he wondered as she stared intently at a shadow hunched over in an alleyway. _Would I have been able to say no to Yan Xun's earnest, eager gaze and his honeyed promises of prosperity and happiness in his homeland?_

The shadow detached itself from the walls and loped away, its canine stride identifying it as a stray dog. Xing'er hoped it didn't encounter any of the dead as they would likely not discriminate in terms of meal selection. She continued down the road, Yuwen Yue placidly trotting beside her and seemingly engaged with the other side of the street.

_If things go wrong here, I'll still be able to escape to _Yanbei_, _she thought as they neared the end of the street. _Hopefully I'll find my sisters by the morning, and we'll return to _Qing Shan Yuan_. I doubt that Yuwen Yue has any plans to kill me in the near future, so if I end up not liking my life at _Qing Shan Yuan_, I can just leave. _

Logically, she knew that multiple obstacles could prevent her from making such a swift, effortless escape. As usual, Xing'er chose to push those possibilities to the back of her mind until they became relevant. What good could come of trying to predict an uncertain future in chaotic times?

"Now that we've ridden all the way down this street, let's start checking inside likely establishments," Yuwen Yue said as they turned their horses to face the way they'd just come. "Since you've canvased this road twice, we can rule out alleys and outer shadows as hiding places."

"Mm."

"We would make more progress by splitting up. You investigate the inns and restaurants down here while I start looking at the top of this street."

"Yes, _Gong Zi_."

His eyes warmed at her address; how had she failed to notice how expressive his gaze could be?

"Stay out of trouble, Xing'er," he said as he rode casually away.

As she dismounted her horse in front of the nearest inn, his use of her name echoed in her mind. He was back to saying it normally, and part of her—a very small part of her, of course-wanted to inspire him to call her "X'er" again soon. She had, after all, meant what she'd told Yan Xun: Her real name was Xing'er.

As far as she was concerned, the person called Chu Qiao she knew vaguely from a couple of disjointed, shadowy memories may as well be dead. In a way, Yuwen Yue had killed Chu Qiao and crafted Xing'er in her place, and Xing'er couldn't bring herself to lament the loss. Chu Qiao might have been an extraordinary woman who could've seen and changed the world, but all Xing'er wanted to do was to go home with her sisters and Yuwen Yue. No other desire appealed to her even half as much, even if at least half of her knew she should feel differently.

In spite of all of her recent discoveries about her background and history, she'd never felt less connected to—or less interested in—her past. The future beckoned, and Xing'er sensed that she was closer to finding out who she truly was now than when she'd entered _Ji Le Ge_ a few hours ago. As she strode up to the door of the first inn, Xing'er found herself looking forward to the future in spite of its inevitable difficulties.

* * *

The old man had been called _Y__e __Y__e_ for so long—for grandfather he'd been to many more than his own grandchildren for many moons—that he had almost forgotten his real name. His real name wasn't important, anyway; after all, someone old and wizened like him was practically invisible. He'd wanted to reach home tonight, but the fatigue and shortness of breath he'd been experiencing had convinced him otherwise.

He absentmindedly massaged his left arm, wishing the pain would go away. He had a bad feeling for some reason; perhaps he was sensing the unnerving undercurrents he'd felt in the city. For whatever reason, many of the people of _Chang'an_ had seemed on edge, as if they were waiting for some disaster to befall them. All that mattered to Y_e __Y__e_, however, was that he got the necessary rest tonight to be able to return to his beloved wife tomorrow. He would be so glad to be with his woman again...

_Ye __Y__e_ came back to himself as a pretty little serving girl entered his room with the pot of tea he'd ordered. It was the middle of the night, but the staff had still accommodated him. Good service could be hard to find, so discovering it at a place like this was refreshing.

The serving girl set his tea down and smiled prettily; were he a younger man...Of course, were he a younger man, he would've already tried to get the attention of those two pretty girls who'd come into the inn earlier. He would've made a play for both of them; of course, they would've surely taken him up on his offer since he'd been a stud in his younger years. No woman had been able to resist his charms, wife or otherwise…

The girl finished her task and left him after a small bow, her steps light and quick as she made her way to the door. As she opened it, a masculine voice called out to her, freezing her at the entrance. _Ye __Y__e_ heard some jumbled nonsense about a big fight and dead people walking around and a bunch of nobles arguing, but he dismissed all of it as jibberish.

She sloppily pushed the door behind her, failing to shut it all the way. _Ye __Y__e_ almost called her back to close the door since doing so was her job, but he was no invalid and could close his own door, thank you very much. As he'd thought before, good help was so hard to find. Not that _Ye Ye_ needed help, though; he still had many moons left in him.

He stood to his feet, instantly recognizing his mistake as a mammoth pain ripped through his chest. Fortunately, the agony ended quickly as his life flashed before his eyes. The final thing he thought about was those two pretty, pretty girls who were bunked down in the stables that one could reach if one just walked through the door at the end of the hall…


	6. Chapter 6

While Yuwen Yue would've been content to search inside the inns with Xing'er in order to keep her out of trouble, he'd acknowledged that they could accomplish more apart than together—at least in this instance. He'd volunteered to ride back up the street and search the inns near the restaurant at which they'd eaten, while Xing'er had decided to check the establishments near the end of the street. While asking bleary-eyed innkeepers and serving girls if they'd seen two girls about this tall traveling together was not particularly exciting, Yuwen Yue was so pleased that Xing'er had stayed with him that he would've gladly done almost anything for her.

As he exited yet another establishment that had given him a negative response about his inquiry, he noticed that Xing'er's horse was tied up in front of a seedy-looking inn roughly a third of the way up the street. He had likewise made progress, and he was now getting into the part of the street that he considered to be the most likely destination of Xing'er's sisters.

_The girls would likely have felt vulnerable staying in a place too close to the head of the street, _he thought as he walked towards a fairly large inn that even had its own stable. _However, they would likely not __have wanted__ to stray too far from where Xing'er was supposed to meet them. Hopefully, I will find them here—or perhaps at the inn a few buildings down._

Yuwen Yue had mixed feelings about the two familiar feminine screams that rang out a few moments later. On the one hand, he recognized those screams due to their owners' genetic ability to get into trouble. On the other, he knew he might not be able to reach them in time to rescue them, which would not help to advance his suit with Xing'er.

Fortunately, they solved the problem for him by barreling out of the stable attached to the inn and instinctively pelting in his direction. A tell-tale growling and shuffling sounded behind them, and Yuwen Yue pulled _Po Yue Jian_ before the girls even discerned his identity. To his amusement, their faces broke out in big smiles and they each cried out a relieved "_Gong Zi_!"

_We've come a long way from the days when they tried to kill me with those snakes, _he mused as he effortlessly stabbed the old man under his throat.

The girls were horrified about multiple aspects of the event. They babbled questions about why he'd killed the old man, why the old man had tried to kill them, what he was doing in _Chang'an_, and where their sister was. The last question was answered by Xing'er herself, whose appearance outside of another inn generated more yells from her sisters.

Xing'er's horse made quick work of the distance between the sisters, and they were soon hugging, laughing, and crying. He listened in amusement as Xing'er began to explain some of the goings-on of the night; many of them really did sound quite ridiculous when another tried to describe them to those who had not witnessed them.

"So Yuwen Xi is really dead?" Xiao Qi exclaimed happily.

"Right."

"Great!" Xiao Ba yelled, jumping up and down.

"And he was really killed by the poor girls he'd murdered earlier?"

"Right."

"Even better!"

"He got what he deserved!"

Yuwen Yue knew that they didn't have much time before the noise they were making attracted attention, so he calmed the girls down by giving him one of his intense looks. It seemed to work better on the two girls rather than Xing'er, who looked at him with amusement.

"Your touching sentiments about Yuwen Xi are a fitting repayment for me allowing the two of you to come here alone tonight," he said sternly.

"Ah?"

"_Gong Zi_, what…?"

"Next time I have to punish Xing'er, I won't allow the two of you to leave _Qing Shan Yuan_ alone."

"Ah...of course not, Yue _Gong Zi_."

"Right, Yue _Gong Zi_. What she said."

"In fact, if Xing'er ever slips anyone else a laxative, I'm going to punish the two of you instead."

Wide-eyed giggles sounded from behind two pairs of hands. Yuwen Yue mused ruefully that Xiao Qi and Xiao Ba were not exactly spy material.

"Zhu Shun also got what he deserved," Xing'er said defiantly.

"Well, since he's dead, he's unable to agree or disagree with you."

"Zhu Shun's dead, too?"

"And we missed it?"

"You wouldn't have had a restful evening at _Qing Shan Yuan_, either," Xing'er said.

"Why not? What happened, _Liu__ Jie_?"

"Did some of those things get into _Qing Shan Yuan_, too?"

"Is it safe to go home or should we maybe…?"

Yuwen Yue allowed the awkward silence to lengthen for a few moments before breaking it with his typical diplomacy.

"I'm sure Xing'er would be willing to take you somewhere else if you ask her nicely."

"No, no, no, no, Yue _Gong Zi_! That's not what I meant!"

"We wouldn't dare leave _Qing Shan Yuan_ and Yue _Gong Zi_! Wouldn't dare! Wouldn't dare!"

"Yue _Gong Zi_ knows how loyal to him we all are," Xing'er said, smiling sweetly.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Xiao Qi muttered.

The sound of pounding hooves and feet kept Yuwen Yue from having to reply. Some bedraggled _Wei_ soldiers rode up, the one in charge dismounting, greeting him properly, and taking a deep breath. He began to report on the entire family he and his men had had to put down, but Yuwen Yue's mind was already moving beyond the conversation.

"I just rekilled this old man who likely died of old age. Check the rest of the inn for other corpses or victims."

As several of them entered the establishment, Yuwen Yue returned his attention to the three sisters standing around him.

"Come," he said, flaring his black robes out impressively as he led them away from the inn and back towards the top of the street.

A small part of him wanted to try to get Xing'er to hold onto his sleeve while walking, but he dismissed the idea since he knew that enough rumors were already swirling about them. Besides, Xing'er seemed to be more comfortable maintaining her own space, probably feeling as closed-in as the rest of them seemed to be. The streets of_ Chang'an_ weren't safe, and he knew the sisters would breathe easier once they were in a more open area that provided multiple escape routes.

He smiled inwardly as he realized that he'd begun to think of the three sisters as a unit. When he'd first realized how much they'd meant to Xing'er, he'd seen them as pawns to keep her in line. When he'd first realized how much Xing'er had meant to him, he'd seen them as pawns to keep her at his side. Now that he'd truly fallen in love with Xing'er and had decided to marry her, however, he now saw them as family who were under his protection.

_As if they aren't still your pawns, oh, wise spymaster, _his snide voice interjected as he mounted his horse. _Where would Xing'er be now if those two girls had been where they were supposed to be tonight? She'd likely be well on her way to _Yanbei_ now—maybe even on the back of Yan Xun's horse with her arms clasped tightly around his-_

Yuwen Yue ruthlessly shoved those thoughts to the back of his mind as Xing'er mounted her own horse and instructed the sisters to walk between the two horses. The soldiers formed a ring around them and they proceeded down the street briskly. There were still several hours until dawn, and Yuwen Yue knew he wasn't the only one who felt that twilight couldn't come quickly enough.

* * *

Zhao Shi Feng's eyes strained to see any sign of Yan Xun and his people, yet all he saw in the moonlight were his own soldiers and Yuwen Huai as they thundered down the west road. The Wei brothers had decided to search villages, small towns, caves, and other potential hideouts, but he himself felt that the hostage prince and his people would likely ride hard for home. Yuwen Huai had offered no complaint to his plan and had seemed content to silently ride his horse and keep a vigilant eye out for their mutual enemy.

In truth, Zhao Shi Feng was somewhat in awe of Yuwen Huai—and the other Yuwen men, for that matter. He knew himself to be a proficient fighter who could probably take down almost anyone in _Wei_. However, he wasn't foolish enough to feel confident about his chances against either Yuwen Huai or Yuwen Yue. Even as depleted as Yuwen Huai obviously was after his night of fighting, Zhao Shi Feng knew that the man would likely still be able to handle almost anyone who came their way.

The sound of pounding hooves echoed into the night around them, and Zhao Shi Feng shivered as he imagined some of those walking corpses shambling around in the foliage near the road. As ridiculous as the idea of their existence sounded, he could not doubt the testimony of so many of his peers. Granted, he could discount anything that the Thirteenth Prince or that nasty maid said, but if Yuwen Huai and Yuwen Yue said that those things were real…

He scowled as he contemplated how much time they'd all wasted listening to Yuwen Yue's little bed-warmer rile up her nemesis. While he knew that he had nobody to blame but himself for his decision to partake of such quality entertainment, he also knew that the spymaster's favorite toy had likely been stalling for time. Her friendship with Yan Xun was no secret—nor was her hatred for...almost everyone else he knew, to be honest. What else would that nasty maid enjoy more than baiting Yuwen Huai while the hostage prince fled his gilded cage?

The nervous whinny of his horse brought him out of his dark musings. His gaze sharpened on the path ahead and the woods to his side, but he saw no more than the ever-shifting shadows of the forest. He urged his horse to go even faster, and he noticed others doing the same to their own mounts. Nobody wanted to present himself as a target for any threat—living or dead.

Zhao Shi Feng knew that life sometimes had a way of giving you the most of what you wanted the least, and he was faced with that very scenario as several handfuls of the dead suddenly poured out of the woods in front of and beside them. All of his doubts as to their existence melted away; these things moved in such an unnatural way that they couldn't possibly be anything but what others had described.

Seeing a pile of dead bodies claimed by others to be reanimated corpses and hearing stories from other people had not adequately prepared him for this moment. He instinctively spurred his horse forward and succeeded in trampling a couple of the corpses, but the glut of the dead in front of him made further passage impossible. His sword made quick work of a couple of others as he stabbed them through their eyes, but more rapidly took their places.

Several of the dead descended on his horse with feral growls, gleefully biting into its flanks as the horse reared and screamed in agony and fear. Zhao Shi Feng fought to hold on, figuring ruefully that if his horse was thrashing around, that would keep him out of the reach of the grasping dead.

This relief lasted for only a few moments, however, as he quickly found himself on the ground after his mount's legs gave out. He instinctively rolled out of the way and relied on his reflexes to position his sword's blade in the necessary places for survival. While Zhao Shi Feng missed the height advantage his horse had given him, he acknowledged that his range of motion had improved on the ground. He'd always preferred to face his opponents face to face on foot, and the dead provided no exception to his normal tastes.

Yuwen Huai was living up to his reputation, killing the dead with a precision that spoke of experience. In fact, his friend looked almost bored with the situation, his mouth twisted into a lackadaisical scowl that conveyed annoyance rather than fear. Zhao Shi Feng wished he could say the same, but he freely admitted to himself that he was more terrified than he'd ever been.

His fear gave his sword arm some extra strength, which enabled him to thrust his blade up under the corpse of a large peasant man with gusto. The blade sunk in farther than necessary, and Zhao Shi Feng had to wrench his sword's handle several times in order to free his weapon.

Before he could bring his sword back to his side, however, another corpse snaked in and clamped down on his middle finger. He howled in agony as the worst pain he'd felt in his life pulsed through his hand, almost as if his essence itself understood the evil that had been introduced to his body. His dagger appeared in his left hand, and he thrust it home with savage delight. At least the corpse that bit him would walk the earth no more.

Zhao Shi Feng sensed the battle winding down around him, but all he could think about was the curse pulsing through his veins. A wild idea occurred to him, suitable only for an equally wild night. While he couldn't explain even to himself why he thought his idea had any chance of working, he decided to give it a try because he had nothing to lose.

Before he could talk himself out of going through with his mad plan, he wiped his dagger clean and squatted down beside a dead _Wei_ soldier whose helmet had flown off of his head before he'd died. Zhao Shi Feng braced his right hand against the helmet and positioned the dagger properly with his left. He savagely sliced downward, severing not only his infected finger but the middle one next to it by accident.

Were the growls and moans surrounding him coming from the dead or himself? He couldn't tell as his eyesight dimmed—nor could he bring himself to care.

When he regained consciousness, he saw Yuwen Huai staring down at him in curiosity. His friend didn't seem particularly concerned about Zhao Shi Feng's injury or his potential to turn into a corpse. In fact, Zhao Shi Feng could almost imagine a similar expression on a younger Yuwen Huai's face as he learned about poisons and spying from his older male relatives.

A shout came from behind him, and he realized that he couldn't have been unconscious for long since a few of the dead were apparently still walking. Yuwen Huai seemed unconcerned about them, however, as he pulled Zhao Shi Feng to his feet. He gestured towards a couple of horses that had wisely retreated towards _Wei_ but had unwisely been unwilling to abandon their masters.

Yuwen Huai walked confidently towards the beasts and corralled them both, grabbing their reins and leading them over to where Zhao Shi Feng stood swaying on his feet. His friend looked at him in question with a mocking smirk, and Zhao Shi Feng knew that he couldn't let his last act be failing to rise to Yuwen Huai's wordless taunt.

With help from his friend, he clumsily mounted the horse, ignoring the shouts of panic and dismay coming from the soldiers whose horses they were borrowing. Yuwen Huai didn't seem to care about them either as he quickly mounted his own new horse and expertly guided it around the bodies littering the road. Zhao Shi Feng followed carefully, somehow pushing the pain to the back of his mind as the two of them set off towards _Chang'an_ at a fast pace. He entertained himself by fantasizing about different methods of torturing Yan Xun and that nasty maid as he tried to ignore the likelihood of his impending death.

* * *

Xiao Ba may have been the youngest sister, but she knew that she was also the most observant. Xiao Qi frequently saw only what was on the surface, and _Liu Jie_...As capable as _Liu Jie_ could be, she was rarely observant in regards to men—especially in regards to the man who was currently talking to the restaurant owner who had served them supper hours ago.

The restaurant owner had greeted the master enthusiastically and had claimed to have come outside because he'd wanted to see what was making so much noise. Given the stories that _Liu Jie_ had been telling as they'd walked carefully up the road, Xiao Ba assumed that the man had been more interested in meeting a wealthy young man escorting three beautiful girls than learning about recent events. After all, if he'd missed a large, loud battle at the West Gate, then he likely hadn't been disturbed by their little group.

He was paying the master more attention now than he'd given to both her and her sister all night. As she watched the master interact with the man, she realized just how little influence she'd have as a free woman. Xiao Ba wanted to be free, but unlike her sisters, she recognized how high the cost of freedom could be. She'd come with Xiao Qi because she couldn't imagine life without her—and, of course, because she couldn't imagine openly defying _Liu Jie_.

Her eyes widened as Yue _Gong Zi_ casually offered to pay the man twice the going rate in order for him to prepare a meal—for all four of them. She gazed up at the man she loved in shock, never expecting him to honor her in such a way. Resentment rose up within her as reality dawned. He was only doing this to impress _Liu Jie_, who probably would neither notice nor care.

Xiao Ba loved Yuwen Yue, so she'd spent much time watching him. Of course, this meant that she'd also spent a lot of time watching the quiet, mysterious man watch _Liu Jie_. If she'd been able to experience the master looking at her that way even once…

How could _Liu Jie_ spend so much time around the master and yet know him so little? She would've been content to spend the rest of her days taking care of Yue _Gong Zi_ and loving him from afar. _Liu Jie_, on the other hand, could've had the master's heart for the taking had she cared to try. _Liu Jie_ and Xiao Qi were still convinced that the master was responsible for Lin Xi's death, but Xiao Ba didn't agree.

For starters, she knew that there was much that _Liu Jie_ kept from her and Xiao Qi. From what _Liu Jie_ had said, however, Zhen Shu and the men of the Third Branch were likely the guiltiest parties in Lin Xi's death. After all, she knew the master, and he was not a cruel man. He could be hard and ruthless, but he didn't kill or torture the innocent for fun like Yuwen Huai and Yuwen Xi did. He might have been the one to kill Lin Xi, but how could Xiao Ba blame him? After all, had he not thought that Lin Xi had murdered his grandfather? Did he have less right to vengeance on behalf of his beloved relative than they had for theirs?

She was drawn from her thoughts as Xiao Qi poked her in the side and gestured to the nicest, largest table. The master was leading the way, so Xiao Ba followed him. He sat down first and looked straight ahead, obviously waiting for the three of them to join him. Of course, _Liu Jie_ sat down next, acting like this was all commonplace. She boldly sat down next, quickly followed by Xiao Qi. Nobody said anything as the table descended into awkward silence.

Xiao Ba surreptitiously observed the master from the corner of her eye. He seemed oddly at peace despite his surroundings and company. He also couldn't keep his eyes off of _Liu Jie_, who was actually dressed in robes that looked almost identical to his own. Her eyes widened at the implication and wondered if her sister had grasped its significance. Considering that she hadn't even managed to realize that her sword matched _Gong Zi__'s_ so closely, Xiao Ba was doubtful.

The restaurant owner bustled over, placing a fresh pot of tea on the table with a flourish. He promised that he'd have their food ready as soon as possible, but he reminded them that he had to get his cook fire hot enough first. The master assured him that they didn't mind the wait, and the man bustled off again. In fact, Yue _Gong Zi_ was acting so casually that Xiao Ba almost wondered if he had been bitten by one of those things and turned into a different person instead of a monster.

_Liu Jie_ poured tea for the master first, making sure that he was satisfied before pouring for the rest of them with practiced ease. She also seemed different. That brittle hardness that had been present whenever the master had been nearby or even mentioned seemed gone, replaced with a comfortable sort of familiarity. Had _Liu Jie_ and the master both been replaced by different people since Xiao Ba had seen them last?

"_Liu Jie_, would you tell us more about what happened at _Hong Shan Yuan_?" Xiao Qi asked hesitantly.

_Liu Jie_ gave her a small smile and agreed. She launched into her tale, and Xiao Ba only paid partial attention to it. After all, _Liu Jie_ often kept things from them when they were alone, so why would she expect her sister to be honest in public? In fact, given the furtive looks _Liu Jie_ sometimes gave the master, Xiao Ba figured that this bit of storytelling might be more for the benefit of the restaurant owner—who would certainly spread the tale with gusto to his customers the next day-than the two of them.

Xiao Ba inwardly sighed as she acknowledged that she still had some unfinished business to work through in regards to _Liu Jie_. While she understood that much of her earlier outburst had been motivated by fear, frustration, and grief, she still stood by at least some of her words. Why had Xiao Qi been unable to see that Yan Xun didn't care about either of them? Like the master, he was in love with _Liu Jie_; unlike the master, however, Xiao Ba didn't trust Yan Xun to take care of the two of them indefinitely.

Not that she believed the prince to be a bad man. His Highness was funny, genial, and chivalrous. He was handsome, wealthy, and protective—at least in regards to what he valued. In spite of those positive qualities, however, she sensed that Yan Xun would marry _Liu Jie_ and that the two of them would leave Xiao Qi and Xiao Ba in the dust.

_Liu Jie_ must have reached a particularly dramatic part of her made-up tale, for she widened her eyes and slashed her hands around for effect. The master said something dry and sarcastic in response, and _Liu Jie_ scowled at him and carried on. Xiao Ba's eyes widened again as she realized that _Liu Jie's_ body language was completely different than she'd expected it to be. Once again, she could tell that her sister had not been irritated by the master's statement but had been inwardly amused by it instead. Was _Liu Jie_ finally realizing the truth that had been staring her in the face for months now?

Jealousy and pain flashed through Xiao Ba at the idea, and she realized the truth: she'd never be able to win no matter what happened. Either _Liu Jie_ would fall in love with the master and they'd get married or _Liu Jie_ would insist on taking them away from _Qing Shan Yuan_ and ensure that she never saw the master again. Slave or free, she'd never be with the master.

_Unless he marries _Liu Jie_ and gets tired of her, _Xiao Ba mused as the restaurant owner brought them their food.

_Liu Jie_ once again made sure that the master had everything he needed before she turned her attention to her own food. The master had simply ordered that Xiao Qi and Xiao Ba be given the same food they'd had for supper, but he had ordered _Liu Jie's_ favorite beef and rice dish—for the both of them. Once again, _Liu Jie_ seemed completely oblivious to the master's subtle statement.

_Yes, Yue _Gong Zi _would surely get tired of _Liu Jie_ were he to marry her, _Xiao Ba thought as she took a mouthful of beef noodles. _He would get tired of her aloofness, her selfishness, and her temper. Then, perhaps, he'd start looking for a beautiful woman who would be more affectionate and accommodating than _Liu Jie_. Someone like me._

As _Liu Jie_ deliberately bit a piece of beef just short of the fat with a disgusted look on her face, the master looked at her for a moment with a naked expression of affectionate amusement. His mask dropped back into place so quickly Xiao Ba almost thought she'd imagined the look, but she knew she hadn't.

Xiao Ba couldn't miss the look _Liu Jie_ sent the master, though, as she caught him looking at her. _Liu Jie's_ eyes narrowed at him, and she took another bite of beef with a haughty, aloof expression. She pointedly allowed another piece of fat to drop back into the bowl before mercilessly shoving it away from the rest of her food.

Yue _Gong Zi_ ate an entire piece of beef, fat and all, gazing at _Liu Jie_ smugly. She refused to rise to the bait, taking a mouthful of rice before continuing her tale after she'd swallowed it. The master continued to watch _Liu Jie_ raptly as she continued to weave a tale of questionable authenticity.

_Liu Jie_ suddenly shifted the narrative to right before the battle at the West Gate, skipping over multiple pieces of information that Xiao Ba wanted to know. She wondered if _Liu Jie_ would ever tell her and Xiao Qi the full truth of tonight's events, but she dismissed the question as pointless. After all, would she ever be able to fully trust _Liu Jie_ to tell her the truth?

The master took over the telling of the tale after ordering _Liu Jie_ to finish her food. He wove a compelling narrative of his ride to the palace, his dealings with the dead and living eunuchs, and his experiences in the _Chang'an_ camp. Xiao Ba admired the way he'd calmly but quickly taken charge of all of the situations he'd encountered and made them work out for the best. He was always doing that, even if neither of her sisters was capable of noticing.

_Like now, _she thought as the master wryly asserted that he'd known that _Liu Jie_ had been involved in the chaos at the West Gate because she was always in trouble. _He's giving _Liu Jie_ time to eat her food before it gets cold, and, look. He's even arranged for a second bowl of food to be brought over now that her first bowl is empty. He takes such good care of her even if she never seems to notice or care._

Xiao Ba acknowledged that her jealousy might've been talking near the end of her mental diatribe as _Liu Jie_ did, in fact, thank the master for the second bowl of food. His face was blank as he told her that he knew that her actions tonight had worked up quite an appetite; she innocently told him that fighting the dead with the Yuwens was exhausting work. The master's face shifted to the irritated, amused look he frequently wore around _Liu Jie_—one that not everyone would recognize. But she did, because she'd seen it and numerous others over the past few months.

"When can we go home, _Gong Zi_?" she blurted, suddenly tiring of the game they were all playing.

He stared at her for a few moments, clearly weighing the various possible meanings of her question. She didn't mind and was content to wait. After all, she was intimately familiar with watching and waiting.

"Dawn is still a few hours away, and I might be called to the palace before I can leave _Chang'an_," he finally said, seemingly taking her words at face value. "Xing'er can always take you home in the early morning if I cannot do so. I trust she won't get lost along the way."

"Of course she won't, Yue _Gong Zi_," Xiao Ba said brightly. "We won't let _Liu Jie_ get lost. After all, we know the way back home very well."

He eyed her appraisingly, and Xiao Ba met his gaze with her own. As she stared into those dark, piercing eyes, she acknowledged another truth to herself: She didn't care nearly as much about gaining freedom or vengeance as she did about staying close to this man.

_Or perhaps I should say that, were I free, I would still choose to stay at Yue _Gong Zi's_ side. That's more than _Liu Jie_ can say…_

"You and your sisters will have much to discuss once you're back home," he said, looking meaningfully at _Liu Jie_.

Once again, _Liu Jie_ managed to surprise Xiao Ba with her expression. In fact, it was...Xiao Ba couldn't really think of a word to describe it properly. It was soft yet amused yet grateful yet sheepish yet...affectionate?_ Liu Jie_ and the master continued to gaze at one another, and Xiao Ba could feel a nameless tension rise up between them.

She had never been more grateful to hear terrified screams ring out in the near distance. After all, just because she'd resolved to mirror the master's method of long-term planning didn't mean that she wanted to see her beloved staring at_ Liu Jie_ so blatantly. She would be patient, and she knew she'd win in the end.

The master and_ Liu Jie_ stood swiftly, the last of the tea forgotten as they turned their attention towards the noise. To be fair, _Liu Jie_ had placed herself between the threat and her sisters, yet Xiao Ba could tell that _Liu Jie's_ primary instinct was to rush off towards the disturbance at the master's side.

The master noticed her motions, too, and gave her another look. She lifted her sheathed sword slightly in her hand and stared pointedly at the master. His gaze darkened, and Xiao Ba acknowledged that she had no idea what was happening between the two of them. Would she ever understand their relationship?

He finally looked away towards _Liu Jie's_ horse, which was tied up outside of the restaurant beside his own. He then murmured something too lowly for Xiao Ba to hear. _Liu Jie_ nodded reluctantly and followed him to their mounts, climbing confidently into her saddle and walking the horse out into the road before the West Gate.

As Xiao Ba watched _Liu Jie_ patrol up and down that section of the street in search of threats, she also noticed how frequently her sister's eyes strayed towards the head of the road the master had charged down. The servant girl picked at the cold remains of her meal, not at all pleased with the prospect of watching her sister watch for the man Xiao Ba loved.

_Why am I always the one watching and never doing? When will I get to be the one shaping my future instead of letting others do it for me? When will the master realize that I'm the right woman for him instead of _Liu Jie_? Will _Liu Jie_ ever love the master the way he deserves to be loved—and will I be able to handle the results if she does? _

The bottom of Xiao Ba's bowl held no answers for her as she sat watching and waiting for dawn to come.

* * *

The emperor wasn't certain if the first hint of dawn was starting to penetrate the room or if he were simply engaging in wishful thinking. He'd long stopped looking at the corpse of the woman he loved since all signs of life had long since left it. Even when he was looking at her, his eyes were seeing myriad things beyond the confines of this room.

Once he'd gotten past his grief and anger—or at least managed to bank that fire momentarily—he'd had plenty of time to think. He'd had plenty of time to assign blame and to decide on punishments and consequences. He'd had plenty of time to reach some hard realizations. He'd had plenty of time to contemplate the state of his empire, his line of succession, and his power base.

_I have no one to place on the throne once I'm gone, _he lamented again to himself. _None of my sons is fit to be emperor. They're all either selfishly settled into their own routines or blithely living lives of idleness and dissipation. Who would rule _Wei_ if one of those things were to…?_

He stared into the middle distance as he envisioned the scene play out before him once again. The emperor imagined his young, foolish daughter being unable to see the warning signs. He saw his beloved concubine sacrificing herself to save her daughter. He envisioned the various slaves and attendants trying in vain to prevent the inevitable.

_I want to be angry at Chun'er, but she's such an unsatisfying target for my wrath, _the emperor mused. _Much of tonight's events can be blamed on her, yet she's currently huddling in her bed and staring sightlessly at the room. Given all that she's recently lost, do I even have anything I could take away from her that she'd value?_

The emperor acknowledged that, if his sons had not grown up responsibly enough to inherit the throne, then his daughter certainly hadn't been taught proper decorum and discipline. Had he and Wei _Gue Fei_ ever been able to bring themselves to curb her tongue or her rashness? Had they ever been able to scold her more than half-heartedly? He knew Wei _Gue Fei_ had talked with both Chun'er and Song'er, but he knew as well as anyone how cheap talk was. Clearly the lesson hadn't impacted either child.

_But they're not really children anymore. Chun'er just officially became a woman and is old enough for me to marry off. I don't think _Liang's_ crown prince has married yet. He has his concubines, but I don't believe he's taken a wife. _Liang_ is nice and far from _Wei_ and _Yanbei_ and our two kingdoms have been at odds lately; perhaps we could forge an alliance through marriage._

He knew that Chun'er would balk at marrying anyone other than her precious Yan Xun _Ge Ge,_ but the emperor felt that the sooner she could get over her obsession with the young traitor, the better off they would all be. She would probably consider being married off to be a punishment, so he figured he'd let her recover from this tragedy and then inform her of her fate.

_But what of the fate of the empire? h_e thought again as the dawn began to come in earnest. _Which of my sons will prove himself worthy of ruling _Wei_ when I'm gone? Who will inherit the mandate of heaven?_

He'd returned to this issue again and again in the night and was no closer to solving the problem now than he'd been the first time it had crossed his mind. His oldest sons had their own palaces, their own wives, their own children, and their own lives. They would not be willing to make the sacrifices necessary to be a good ruler.

Yet his younger sons were not fit, either. They were naive, inexperienced, and not particularly well-versed in politics. In fact, they seemed to eschew court altogether outside of socialization and amusement. They also seemed incapable of grasping the depths of Yan Shicheng's betrayal, much less doing anything about it.

Some of these flaws in his sons, he acknowledged to be partially his fault. After all, he was their father, and he'd always known that he'd be responsible for producing the next heir to the throne. He was responsible for ensuring his sons had proper educations—officially and unofficially. Who else should be held accountable for the lack of a suitable crown prince?

And yet, did his sons not share this burden with their father? After all, their social status had never been a secret. In fact, all of them reveled in the privilege their wealth and positions gave them. Should they all not have tried harder to make themselves worthy of the throne?

_Trying to assign blame for the past is useless, _he thought as the room continued to lighten. _What good would come from finger-pointing? The future matters more than the past—so I must look to the future._

The emperor looked down at his dead woman, acknowledging that all traces of life had now fled from her. Part of him wondered if the Heavens hadn't tried to maintain some sort of divine balance by taking his woman from him at around the same moment he was taking Baisheng's man from her. He had, of course, had every right to have a traitor put to death, but he knew that Baisheng wouldn't agree with that assessment.

_Nor would some of my younger sons—or Yuwen Yue. The fact that those I would consider to be the most honorable also seem to be the most oblivious does not speak highly of the value of integrity. They are all good men, yet none of them can see the truth. _

"I'm going to take care of our children, Wei _Gue Fei_," he murmured at the cold, stiff corpse on the bed beside him. _"_I'm going to find a good husband for Chun'er who lives far away from _Yanbei_. I'm going to push Song'er into the army to toughen him up. They'll both survive these chaotic times..."

The emperor sighed as he brought together the threads of the thoughts he'd had this night.

"How I wish you were still with me. I would just name you as my successor and let you kill off all the useless politicians who tried to take the throne from you."

His lips quirked as he imagined the impossible scene.

"Who would you tell me to focus on as a potential successor? Surely not Song'er or any of my oldest sons. Would you recommend my tenth son? My seventh? My most trusted eunuch? Would you give me one of your looks and recommend letting Yuwen Yue and Yuwen Huai fight one another for the right to ascend the throne? If anyone could steal the throne from me and mine, it would be the Yuwens..."

His face darkened as he thought about the two men who had caused so much trouble but also given him and the kingdom so much aid. He'd instinctively ordered Yuwen Yue to guard the city, and the latest reports suggested he'd done as well as could be expected. Both men had apparently done much to guard _Chang'an_ this night, and both men would surely continue to be at odds with one another once the sun came up.

"You always did have a soft spot for both Yuwens, didn't you? I think you liked Yuwen Yue better, but you felt that Yuwen Huai's ruthlessness made him more useful overall. How much would you like to bet that Yuwen Huai is going to try to blame Yuwen Yue for the destruction of _Hong Shan Yuan_ and the death of his grandfather? How much would you like to bet that he's probably right to do so?"

Not that the emperor would prosecute Yuwen Yue without rock-solid evidence. The spymaster might not be as ruthless as his cousin, but he was still immensely useful. He was also quite capable of carrying out an assassination without getting caught, so the emperor expected Yuwen Huai to find no evidence of the presence of Yuwen Yue or his people at the time of the patriarch's death.

"I'm sure Yuwen Huai will grace the throne room with his presence soon. How I wish I could look forward to telling you about what will surely be a memorable discussion. How far will he go? Will he dare try to lecture me? Will he actually find any evidence against Yuwen Yue? You would've been amused by the situation while trying to use it to your advantage. I already miss you so much, Wei _Gue Fei_. Why did you have to sacrifice yourself for our foolish daughter? We would've all been better off..."

The emperor trailed off as his chief eunuch entered the room and bowed. He gave a report detailing the misadventures of Yuwen Huai and Zhao Shi Feng. He sat in silence for a few moments as he prepared to face what was guaranteed to be an awful day after getting no sleep at all.

"Have the servants prepare the bathing area," he finally said. "Tell them to also fix me a light breakfast and have it ready for me to eat right after I bathe. I have no more time to waste."

The eunuch made the appropriate responses and prepared to leave.

"And have Wei _Gue Fei_ prepared for burial," he said.

The eunuch bowed low again and made no reply as the emperor swept from the room. He'd meant what he'd said to the man. Life was about to start moving even faster, and he had no more time to waste on anything other than planning for the future. His sons would either toughen up or die, and his daughter would be forced to grow up as well. Death was all around them, and they were all going to have to work hard in order to prevail over it.

* * *

AN: And that's the end of the first arc, which at least establishes that XingYue is headed in the right direction. I know this is not a good place to end the story, but I don't think most of you want to read more about this world. I know that y'all wish I had worked on the story people _do_ want to read instead of writing this one that few wanted to read, but that's writing sometimes. Now that this plot is out of my head, it'll leave me alone. For those of you who did enjoy this story, thanks for your support.


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